Fresh and broiled fig salad with arugula and prosciutto

Want to know one of my secrets for making great meals even on weekdays? Add one interesting (and easy) dish to a couple of simple ones. Take last Thursday for example. I cooked a chicken on the rotisserie on the grill and made some zoodles. Not exactly jaw-dropping. I served this salad alongside it. Salty prosciutto, sweet figs, arugula and balsamic. It took about 5 minutes to make but looked and tasted great. Made it feel like a weekend meal.

To make this even easier, you could skip broiling half the figs. It was nice to have a mix of textures, but the salad would be delish if all were fresh.

Fresh and broiled fig salad with arugula and prosciutto
Adapted from Simple Italian Food by Mario Batali

When you find fresh figs, grab them up for this simple, elegant salad.

Ingredients

• 6 fresh figs, halved
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 4 slices good quality prosciutto
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1-2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• Extra Virgin olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Place 6 of the fig halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Cook under a broiler for about 3-5 minutes, until slightly caramelized. Remove to a bowl to cool.
2. Line 2 plates with 2 slices of prosciutto each.
3. Add the fresh fig halves to the bowl with the broiled ones. Add the arugula and rosemary. Drizzle the vinegar and oil over and toss gently (don't squish the cooked figs).
4. Pile the arugula and fig mixture on top of the prosciutto and serve.