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the easiest sexiest salad in the world

starter | serves 4
I love this salad. Apart from being a great combination, it always seems unbelievably effortless, which is the kind of recipe I like. The constant success of this is due to the common-sense marriage of salty Parma ham, milky buffalo mozzarella and sweet figs, which obviously need to be of a good quality. The best figs to use are Italian and the best time to buy them is June to August when they are in season. Greek figs are a good second-best and are in season from September to November. The best figs always seem to be those that are about to split their skins. Use green or black figs - it doesn't really matter.

One thing I do is to criss-cross the figs but not quite to the bottom - 1 fig per person is always a good start. Then, using your thumbs and forefingers, squeeze the base of the fig to expose the inside. At this point you'll think, 'Oooh, that looks nice, I think I'm quite clever ...' or at least I do. More importantly, it allows your dressing to get right into the middle of the fig. All these little things really help to make a salad special. Simply place the figs in a dish, weave around 1 slice of Parma ham or prosciutto per fig, throw in some slices of buffalo mozzarella and rip over some green or purple basil. Mix 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, a tablespoon of good honey and some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper together in a bowl and drizzle everything with this dressing. As far as salads go, it's pretty damn sexy.

PS It's a good idea to have some spare bread on the table to mop up the juices - always a treat.

• from Happy Days with the Naked Chef

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38 comments

1. rosa Mon 21 Sep 2009 @ 15:15 I think kiwi might be a substitude for figs in this case. I added some lettuce (with the same vinagrette) around the dish as to make a complete salad and more plentiful. Yees! everybody was impressed. It is indeed elegant and tastes out of the ordinary.
I like your recipes Jamie... thanks a lot!!
Rosa , from Dominican Republic

2. cee Sun 10 May 2009 @ 15:55 can anyone suggest a substitute for fresh figs? they're not in season yet and i'm not interested in using dried ones. thanks!

3. Elton John Fri 24 Apr 2009 @ 08:28 Hello Jamie,
I truly believe this is the SEXIEST salad ever. Truly scrumptious!
peace and love peace and love
Elton xxxxxxxx

4. boris Fri 24 Apr 2009 @ 08:27 what a sexy salad!

5. Jenny Thu 09 Apr 2009 @ 17:08 Great salad-but remember if you want proscuito, get it at the deli counter and only the amount you need per person, so 2 is 2 slices. It is a very small fraction of a pound, not even a quarter of a pound (or whatever your measurement). You may reduce the price even further by buying domestic. And Jamie makes a point of using things in season. Figs in season, especially at the farmers market or ethnic produce store, are much cheaper, especially if you can buy indiviually again only what you need and not a pint, if you won't use it. I am trying to grow some where I live, so am hoping to be lucky. And they are full of good nutrients. A lot of food goes to waste because we buy too much and it goes to waste, or eat out of season and it costs more.

6. Lauren French Fri 27 Mar 2009 @ 06:42 Sexiest salad i have to agree!! My Boyfreind made it for me for valentines day and it was amazing :) thanks

7. EC Mon 09 Feb 2009 @ 06:56 So simple, yet tastes soo good! Thanks jamie!

8. cat Wed 17 Dec 2008 @ 21:46 dear jamie
i realise you are much closer to italian food - ingredients etc. but the greek figs and me were very sorry to hear that they are second best! i dare to compare these to the delicious figs from my fig tree in Athens or the fig trees all over the greek countryside! xx

9. Nathi Amorim Sun 14 Dec 2008 @ 19:27 Hellooooo!!!
Olá Jamie, sou carioca, moro no Rio de Janeiro e assisto sempre aos seus programas.... na semana passada, eu assisti uma receita de salada, maravilhosa com alho poró epresunto de parma, se não me falhe a memória,.... já tentei achar a receita de todas as formas mas não consigo, no site da GNT e no seu.. enfim.
Gostaria, se possível que vc me enviasse esta receita, pois pretendo fazer para a noite de Natal...
desde já te agradeço e desejo um Feliz Natal e um Ao Novo cheio de receitas novas, para que a gente possa desfrutar dessas maravilhas conduzidas por suas mãos. Que Deus te abençõe.
Atenciosamante,
Nathi Amorim
Bye.

10. Oksana Wed 10 Dec 2008 @ 15:38 Thank you so much for this hint! Made it for 1year anniversary dinner with my boyfriend, takes literaly seconds and leaves incredible impression!

11. Lemonman Sun 12 Oct 2008 @ 12:36 I like this and its very nice and easy to make.I did it with some nice soft tast goat cheese ( biological ) from the local farm.

12. denibar Thu 24 Jul 2008 @ 23:49 ORGASMIC is all I can say to this SEXY SALAD.

13. Bebe Sat 12 Jul 2008 @ 22:37 I had this at my friends girls night out barbeque and it was fantastic, we loved it. I'm having friends over this week and I will include this appetizer too.

14. kathryne Tue 01 Jul 2008 @ 04:10 I have used this recipe a few times & buy gorgeous honey from Kangaroo Island (off the coast of South Australia). Living in Aus we have an abundance of fabulous fresh/local produce & this recipe has never failed to impress using the local produce available.

15. Rebecca Sun 15 Jun 2008 @ 23:05 OK. I'm Spanish and I know the difference between Hamon Serrano and Italian Parma Ham. Serrano is a little saltier and just a little tougher...you know...more rough like we Spaniards can be. The Italian stuff is lighter, less salty and soft...perfect for this salad which is amazing!! Love the sweet honey with the salty cheese and ham. Nobody is saying Serrano is better/worse than Parma; its just different. Oh by the way Jamie I love you...you have never let us down. Everything you make is awesome and so easy for us mere mortals in the kitchen to cook.

16. Tlailea Thu 12 Jun 2008 @ 14:12 Anne, how did your dried figs soaked in the orange tea over night go with the salad?

17. olivia Mon 02 Jun 2008 @ 21:10 Dear Mr Alan, the problem is that there are many types of spanish ham, but only one that is really special and that you have probably never tried which is from iberian pigs feed exclusively on acorn, Jamon de Bellota. Try that and parma ham will just seem like a waste of time in comparison.
P.S I hope ypou don't speak spanish they were a bit rude to you there.

18. signorina simona Tue 20 May 2008 @ 16:49 try too the thin & crunch white pizza, it's like focaccia/pizza cut it and put in it yellow melone slice, parma ham and sweet figs, i prefear the green ones, a little bit of extra olive oil and tell me wath's about your sense. Ciao from Rome - Italy8521E

19. For For Alan Sun 18 May 2008 @ 12:33 Me gustaría dar vueltas de campana bajo sábanas contigo, simulando movimientos de croquetas en rebozo, mmmmmmmmmmm. ¡Viva el jamón 5 jotas! ¡Muera Alan 5 jotas! 5 jotas de jodido imbécil.

20. Visitor Sun 18 May 2008 @ 12:30 Muy bien dicho, For Alan, de hecho para jamones serranos los míos.
Tengo unos muslacos.....

21. For Alan Sun 18 May 2008 @ 12:25 Alan, eres un auténtico gilipollas...qué sabrás tú de jamón serrano... seguro que no lo has probado en tu vida..Bueno, quizás tampoco te mereces probarlo...

22. Alan Sat 17 May 2008 @ 07:45 Italian ham is much nicer than the terrible tasteless Spanish rubbish. Definitely go for the proper Italian parma.

A lovely recipe

23. Burkey Wed 07 May 2008 @ 03:46 Wow, figs are in at the moment (Australia) don't think they are Italian or Greek though. I am going to try this. Great combination!
Thanks Jamie

24. ana Tue 29 Apr 2008 @ 21:43 I ve tried. It was a hit every time I had guests at dinner or lunch. :)

25. anne Fri 04 Apr 2008 @ 06:58 Figs are out of season at the moment.
I am tring it tonnight with dried figs soaked overnight in orange flavoured tea.
Should be a bit cheaper!

26. munchkin Mon 24 Mar 2008 @ 03:38 Fresh figs? Hahaha. Not without a mortgage or selling my firstborn. Any suggestions for substitutes? I'm already not using the pricey parma, or even the prosciutto.

27. Mar Fri 29 Feb 2008 @ 15:48 I had no idea about italian ham when I wrote this. It does look like the spanish one tho, thanks for clearing this for me Coco (loved dutch food when visited last year!) Simo, guess I should visit Italy (will do!!) anytime soon so that I get a the fine bit of this ;) I actually thought they were the same thing *dork* sorry!

28. Simo Fri 22 Feb 2008 @ 13:33 as i am italian this is what we usually have in the summers...and you know what? both italian prosciutto and spanish is good, they are just different...so Mar don't be so closed minded and who says the orginal ham came from spain??!!!

love your recipies jamie!!

29. lelita Tue 02 Oct 2007 @ 09:58 It was delicious. We enjoyed it very much, combining it with a demi-sec champagne.Just perfect!

30. Donna Poultney Thu 13 Sep 2007 @ 09:52 All my family love this salad it's such a good combination,and being a coeliac i'm always on the look out for new recipes.

31. lauren walsh Sat 25 Aug 2007 @ 20:11 i have never tried it before but when i did i loved it

32. Coco Wed 22 Aug 2007 @ 08:59 Hi Mar,
Actually, there is a taste difference between italian Parma ham and Serrano. For this recipe I take Parma, which is freely available here (Holland). When I manage to get a really good Serrano (what they usually sell here is nothing like what we had in Andalusia) I have it just with some fino, it is too good to cook with!

33. Spela Thu 09 Aug 2007 @ 08:59 It's also great for summer breakfast at the seaside.One of my favourites :)

34. Celia Sun 15 Jul 2007 @ 19:49 This is a fantastic summer salad try adding slivers of nectarines to it . Its always a hit with my bar b q lunches or dinner.

35. Derek. Fri 13 Jul 2007 @ 22:41 Top salad, people acually now think im a chef lol.

36. Jen Sun 08 Jul 2007 @ 06:13 This is an awesome salad. I served it on a bed of mixed greens, and drizzled with olive oil and aged balsamic. I served this for some guests and they were mighty impressed.

37. rina Sat 16 Jun 2007 @ 18:50 what cold cutlets can I put instead of the pama ham ? Can I use Pastrami or beef ?

38. Mar Fri 15 Jun 2007 @ 14:21 Why is that you always refer to what looks like our Spanish Ham "Jamon serrano" like "Parma or Italian Ham"?? I mean, this ham is Spain's thing; we produce it and it is and has always been typical Spanish food #1. Is there anything we don't know about our Spanish Ham?