This bright and flavourful Christmas salad with clementines, pecans and prosciutto is a simple but impressive holiday starter. The sweet citrus, salty prosciutto and crunchy pecans work beautifully together, especially with a spiced balsamic dressing drizzled over the top. Serve it on its own for a light first course, or pair it with my caramelised onion and brie focaccia for something a little more substantial.
Serve as part of this alternative gluten free Christmas menu and wow your guests this holiday season!
Ingredients needed to make Christmas Salad with Clementines, Pecans and Prosciutto
Ingredients are given per person – multiply by the number of servings you need.
- 1 handful lambs lettuce (or any green salad you prefer)
- ½ clementine peeled and broken into segments
- 5 pecans
- 1 slice prosciutto or other cured ham
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp Christmas Spiced Balsamic Dressing
How to make Christmas Salad
Roast the pecans gently in a dry frying pan (do not use oil for this) until they become fragrant. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Rip the prosciutto into bite sized pieces.
On a small plate, place a bed of green salad (lamb’s lettuce). Arrange the clementines segments, cooled pecans, prosciutto pieces and cranberries on top of the salad. Drizzle with the spiced vinaigrette immediately before serving.
Make ahead options For an easy Christmas Salad
The pecans can be roasted the day before and kept in an air tight container at room temperature.
The individual salads can be arranged on plates an hour or two before your guests arrive, if you have space in your fridge to keep them cool.
Otherwise, simply wash the salad, prepare the clementines, toast the pecans and rip the prosciutto into pieces a few hours before and arrange the salads from the prepared components directly before serving.
Dress the salad only when ready to serve to keep the greens crisp
Variations
Use walnuts instead of pecans (they are usually a cheaper option)
Leave out the prosciutto for a vegetarian salad
Add some dots of ricotta on the salad for more texture and colour
This Christmas Salad with Clementines, Pecans and Prosciutto works well as a fresh starter or a simple side dish for any holiday meal.
Christmas Salad with Clementines, Pecans and Proscuitto
Ingredients
- 1 handful lamb’s lettuce or any green salad you prefer
- ½ clementine peeled and broken into segments
- 5 pecans
- 1 slice prosciutto or other cured ham
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp Christmas Spiced Balsamic Dressing
Instructions
- Toast the pecans gently in a dry frying pan (do not use oil for this) until they become fragrant. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
- Rip the prosciutto into bite sized pieces.
- On a small plate, place a bed of green salad (lamb’s lettuce). Arrange the clementines segments, cooled pecans, prosciutto pieces and cranberries on top of the salad. Drizzle with the spiced vinaigrette immediately before serving.
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