Prosciutto, Green Bean and Pumpkin Salad

This dish takes about 10 minutes to prepare and is ready to serve on the table 40 minutes later! Pumpkin is low in calories and is rich in potassium (a mineral that helps the kidneys function normally). Pumpkins also contain lutein and ziazanthin, which can help promote eye health and keep macular degeneration at bay. The following recipe is from Australian Good Taste magazine which I have had an international subscription for nearly 2 years. This periodical never disappoints and it’s one of the few food magazines that sticks to mainly recipes.

Serves 6
recipe from Good Taste

1kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into 5cm pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 thin slices of prosciutto
100g green beans, topped
60ml (1/4 cup) ranch dressing
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated

Preheat oven to 200c. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place pumpkin on 1 tray and drizzle over olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes. Place prosciutto on the remaining lined tray and roast with the pumpkin for a further 10 minutes or until crisp. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. Break prosciutto into larger pieces.

Meanwhile, cook the beans in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 3 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Combine dressing, vinegar and tarragon in a small jug. Arrange the lettuce on a serving platter. Top with pumpkin, beans and prosciutto. Drizzle over the dressing to serve.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: I made homemade ranch dressing (use minced fresh garlic in lieu of garlic powder) which is a bit thicker than the commercial brand so you may need to use more white wine vinegar to get it to the consistency you like. While the pumpkin is in the oven, blanch the green beans. This way all your ingredients will be ready to go by the time the pumpkin and prosciutto is cooked. Don’t worry if the pumpkin is still warm.