Another defining sign that spring has arrived: asparagus is on sale!
Yay spring. So, moving forward with more yummy spring recipes, I wanted to share this little delight.
This is a simple and enormously tasty dish that you can fashion into a salad, stand alone starter or meal. I have served it on many occasions to guests and have arrived at the happy conclusion that it’s one of those foolproof winners (love those).
If you are not familiar with bocconcini, it is a semi-soft unripened cheese, similar to halloumi, that is versatile and easy to work with. You can only see little bits of it poking out of the prosciutto in the picture (along with those tantalizing crispy-chewy cheese sheets from the frying pan – my kids fight over those) – the bulk of the cheese is tucked under the prosciutto.
Pan Seared Prosciutto with Molten Bocconcini and Asparagus in a Balsamic Vinaigrette
For the Prosciutto Bundles
- 250 grams (1 package) prosciutto, sliced thin
- 200 grams (1 container) bocconcini
- 16 asparagus spears, steamed or roasted
- Mixed lettuce and assorted vegetables, as you wish
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp lemon rind
- 1 tsp honey
- Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
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Note: Bocconcini is shaped roughly like an egg and comes in different sizes ranging from tiny pearls to golf-ball sized mounds. For this recipe, I used a medium sized ball about 40 mm in diameter or the size of a ping-pong ball, but you could go with whatever size suits you.
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Wash asparagus and cut off woodsy ends (usually the bottom inch or two).
You can either roast the asparagus at 375 F with a little bit of olive oil for about eight minutes or steam it for two minutes. (In a recipe like this where there are already so many flavours competing for attention, I would say the roasting is less essential).
While your asparagus is cooking, cut four bocconcini balls in half for a total of eight units.
Spread one or two pieces of prosciutto out on a cutting board and top with two asparagus spears and a half bocconcini ball.
Simply wrap the prosciutto around the asparagus and cheese until you have eight compact prosciutto bundles.
Warm a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Place prosciutto bundles in skillet allowing them to brown before flipping them over to the other side. It will only take a minute or two on each side to sear the meat. Now turn heat down to lowest setting and cover your skillet to allow the cheese to fully melt.
Meanwhile, assemble vinaigrette ingredients in a small container with fitted lid. Close lid and shake vigorously to combine.
Prepare four plates with lettuce and mixed vegetables as desired.
Place two warm prosciutto bundles on each plate and drizzle with freshly mixed balsamic vinaigrette.
Enjoy…
It must be the time of year. Seems like we all have veggies on the mind. This this looks incredibly delicious!
Thank you Ola and welcome to Inspired Edibles! I appreciate you stopping by :)
Thanks so much Food Jaunts! Your comments are always so thoughtful; very sweet.
I believe it and am horribly jealous too! I’m becoming more and more convinced that there is very little about New Mexico that I would not adore… it’s on my wish list of places to visit MJ… :)
Haha, will do! ;-)
Perfect! Enjoy Stephanie :)
Thanks so much Lacy! I appreciate you stopping by :)
Not sure you can even taste the asparagus in this recipe (hee.hee – just kidding!) I do hope you enjoy it if you give it a try… it’s a nice lunch option.
Aww, thank you kindly for the compliment Mandy! Received with gratitude ;-)
Ah yes, the cheese adds… ;-)
Oh how neat that you have someone nearby who prepares bocconcini – sounds like it tastes divine…
Thank you Amy! it’s got some pretty yummy stuff going on… but I’m now thinking of your homemade fig newtons… mmm….
Thanks so much Anne… a great lunch option for sure :)
Haha, my hubby loves prosciutto too… we all do! Thanks Lisa, hope your day is going well.
Hi Angie ~ thanks for this and it does make a nice, lighter, spring meal. Enjoy!
Thanks so much Chris… something about the word ‘molten’ that gets me going too :) You deserve all the praise possible on your food styling…simply gorgeous!
Thanks Helene; I hope you like it if you give it a try… it became popular very quickly around here! :)
Me too… thanks Caroline; glad you liked… :0)
Thank you so much…. appreciated :)
yes, very much like mozzarella indeed but my description sounds far more sophisticated – haha!! – Thanks Sissi :)
Yay for asparagus season!
I don’t see a lot of white asparagus in this part of the world but am just as happy with green. Thanks Charles!
Perfect! Thanks Eva :)
Thank you so much! It’s certainly full of delightful flavours…
here May is aasparagus time, I can’t wait to try out all the recipes!
Life and travelling
Cooking
It honestly doesn’t get better than prosciutto wrapped asparagus…until you take it up a notch by adding cheese to it! Great idea. I’ve also been hyped by the reappearance of asparagus, just picked up a gorgeous bunch of white asparagus
Believe it or not there is a cheese factory in New Mexico that makes a great Bocconcini! I haven’t had a true Italian Bocconcini so I have nothing to compare to, but I do like what taste. What a great salad and combination of flavors! Your vinaigrette is perfect!
Please send for my dinner! Love everything in this. YUM!
I bought a huge pack of asparagus this week and I don’t know what to do with it all! This looks great!
I’m loving all of these new asparagus recipes! This sounds incredible, ya know I’ve wrapped asparagus in prosciutto before but the addition of cheese sounds amaaazing! Lovely recipe!
I”m making this as soon as I can Kelly! I made asparagus the other night and loved it! It’s a first for me. Usually I “tolerate” it, but this time I loved it. Now I can just imagine how much I would love it with prosciutto and cheese!!!!! I bet I could even get Mr. N to eat this. I’m so happy it’s spring!
Quite simply, perfection! You have that knack with food.
:-) Mandy
Wow.. just look at that lovely piece of prosciutto. it is just calling me right now lol. I can’t take my eyes off of it. Love this dish
I love this! I’ve done prosciutto wrapped asparagus before, but never thought to add cheese. Great idea!
I’m a sucker for all three of those things. We have a cheese artisan in town that makes bocconcini from water buffalo milk (the original italian version, yes they keep a herd!) and (not trying to brag) it’s amazing.I can’t wait to try THIS with it!
Wow, Nate would totally love this! I really like the combo of fresh asparagus, salty prosciutto and melty cheese. Sound amazing. And your photos are gorgeous, as usal.
Kelly….what a beautiful dish! Yay for spring and asparagus! I love this kind of plate for lunch! And as always….such beautiful photos! : )
Wow, I’m impressed! This is a wonderful meal that my hubby would enjoy. I haven’t bought proscuitto in a long time and he’s going to be jumping for joy when I show him this recipe! Hope you are having a grea week!
Still no sight of green asparagus here…but this is a must-have during the summer time.
Oh my goodness – this will be at my next dinner party – it sounds amazing, Kelly – just the title had me sold before I even looked at your pretty “springy” pictures, lovely!
oh, and thanks for your very sweet comment on my blog! My husband says that I must have loved to play “house” when I was growing up because I’ve never really gotten over it…….. I’ afraid he’s right :)
oh yummy! my mum makes a similiar dish. I feel the combination of prosciutto and aspargus is devine. I dont know bocconcini but I d be curies how your dish tastes. Pretty pictures too!
I must make this soon. This is my kind of dish…asparagus, prosciutto, bocconcini….uh YES please! Simple, yet gourmet. Love it!
OHHH, Kelly,
You get an A+ for presentation & beauty.
I want to try these @ Easter. Love Love Love. Xx
I am a big fan of asparagus, especially the green one, so as soon as it appears I cook it all the time. I think it’s perfect to wrap things around (I have been wrapping different things in a vaguely Japanese way, I must post some soon!) and I love your idea with bocconcini and ham (are bocconcini simply mini-mozzarellas? I have seen them here but never bought). It looks so luscious, fresh and simple!
I can’t wait for asparagus season!
Beautiful – looks absolutely delicious and I just adore asparagus. Good to see that you’re using the green stuff instead of this filthy, bitter, nasty white stuff that seems so popular over here :(
Looks like a perfect light meal or starter… yummy!
Wow, I’m sending this recipe to my hubby, it’s definitely going to be one of his ‘go to’s’ for summer. We love crispy prosciutto and bocconcini.Very fresh looking and tasty dinner.
What a beautiful plate of food; I love the flavors!
This sounds like a wonderful meal! Love the presentation =)