Parma Ham, Mozzarella and Peach Salad

Parma ham is a variety of prosciutto (dry cured ham) that can only be called so if it is produced in Parma, Italy. In my opinion it is the best- the smell that hits me when slicing it for customers in the butchers is heavenly and it tastes so deliciously sweet! 

I recently had to think up a starter for my mum's 50th birthday dinner and chose this dish because of how easy yet impressive-looking it is to make for a large number. The recipe is my summer adaptation of Jamie Oliver’s “Fifteen Christmas Salad” in Cook With Jamie. The dish can be prepared up to an hour before served, and is easily adaptable to the number you want to cook for. 

Ingredients

Small block of parmesan cheese.

Half a ball of mozzarella cheese per person. (As the cheese isn't being cooked, it really makes the dish if you can get hold of a good quality mozzarella such as the authentic buffalo mozzarella we sell at Andrews.) 

A mixture of rocket and red lettuce leaves, enough for one handful per person.

Bunch of mint leaves (optional).

Fresh peaches (not too firm not too soft!) 3 segments per person (half a peach), so multiply this by how many people you’re serving and add one peach to replace any messy slices. Jamie uses clementines for a winter alternative. 

Parma ham, 1 large slice per person. 

3 tablespoons of olive oil to 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. 

Zest of one lemon.

Salt and pepper. 

Tear up the mozzarella into chunks roughly of the same size and into a bowl and drizzle with a touch of extra lemon juice to preserve. Cover bowl with cling-film and place in the fridge for later. 

Your salad is going to be wrapped in parma ham so chop your red lettuce leaves in thinnish vertical slices and mix with the rocket and finely chopped mint leaves in a bowl. 

Prepare your peaches. Carefully slice peach into 6-8 segments, pulling away gently from the stone. Again drizzle with a touch of lemon juice if preparing in advance and put in the fridge. Make your dressing. mix 1 part lemon juice to 3 parts olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Dress your salad then lay out your parma ham. Wrap each slice of ham around a small compacted handful of salad. To plate up, lay out your torn up mozzarella in the centre of each plate. Sprinkle with a touch of lemon zest and again season with a touch of pepper. Balance your parma ham salad parcels across the top of each, and arrange 3-4 peach segments around the mozzarella. Garnish the plate with either a few loose rocket or mint leaves and drizzle a touch of the lemon dressing around the edge of each plate. Grate some parmesan cheese on the top of each parma ham parcel.