I am a bona fide food-magazine junkie. Not only do I enjoy a number of American monthlies, but I’m also crazy about foreign publications.
I read French culinary magazines during stays in France and lately have been buying English and Australian issues at local bookstores. I’m always on the lookout for new trends in food and entertaining that can be turned into ideas for this column or for new recipes.
My curiosity usually pays off, as it did a few weeks ago. While leafing through an Australian glossy, I saw a potato salad with arugula and pancetta accents. I loved this trio of ingredients, but because so many people are watching their carb intake (my spouse is one of them), I immediately thought of rearranging this combination using the potatoes in a secondary, instead of primary, role.
I envisioned a plate of dark green arugula with potato wedges as a garnish. I decided to replace the pancetta with sauteed prosciutto strips and to add quartered hard-cooked eggs and sliced red onion for color and texture.
Arugula salad with potatoes and prosciutto
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon or more additional, if needed, divided
1 pound small redskin potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in -inch-wide julienne strips, 4 to 5 inches long
6 large eggs
medium red onion, sliced thinly
12 ounces arugula (see note)
To make the dressing, whisk together vinegar, mustard, teaspoon salt and teaspoon pepper in a small, nonreactive bowl. Whisk in cup olive oil. (Dressing can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.)
For salad, place potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring water to a boil over high heat, and cook potatoes until tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, quarter potatoes and place in a shallow dish such as a pie plate. Season potatoes generously with salt and pepper, and toss them gently with 3 tablespoons of the dressing.
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, and add enough water to cover by about an inch. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat and simmer gently, about 12 minutes. Drain and plunge eggs into cold water. When cool, remove from water and remove shells. Quarter eggs lengthwise and place on a plate.
Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add prosciutto strips. Stir and cook, adding more olive oil, if needed, until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. (The potatoes, eggs and prosciutto can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Cool each, and leave them at cool room temperature.)
To assemble salad, place arugula and red onion in a mixing bowl and toss with cup of the dressing. Taste; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide salad evenly, and mound on six salad plates.
Garnish each serving with potato wedges and egg quarters. Drizzle remaining dressing over egg wedges on each plate. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of prosciutto. Makes 6 servings.
Note: If arugula is not available, you can substitute flat-leaf spinach.
TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
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