Winter squash are one of my most recommended foods, as they are staple for the healing and maintaining the Stomach and Spleen–the Earth element organs. Small winter squash start coming available by mid to late August and are perfect for this recipe. Best served while the squash is still warm, this salad is a lovely mix of all 5 flavors (bitter, sweet, sour, pungent and salty) and is delightful in the late summer or autumn. I chose to cook the prosciutto to add a little extra warmth and crunch.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 servings | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30 minutes |
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As Summer starts to slip away, the days are getting a little cooler, yet not too cold. There are still days of warmth. Our gardens are still giving us plenty of fresh vegetables, and by late August and early September the first of the hard winter squash are ripening. This delightful salad makes good use of the first of the season's hard winter squash such as delicata or butternut.
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- 1 small delicata squash seeded and roasted (see below)
- 1/3 lbs proscuito fresh or cooked to a light and cripsy
- 6 cups mixed seasonal greens I had fresh spinach, kale and arugula
- Parmesan cheese
- Herb balsamic dressing
- 1/4 cup balsamic
- 2-3 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tsp dried Italian herbs I used oregano, rosemary, thyme and sage
- salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400. Slice delicata squash into 1/2 inch wide strips. Seed and lightly coat squash with olive oil. Roast until squash is soft, about 30 minutes or until a fork inserted pulls out easily. Allow to cool slightly so you can handle it.
- While the squash cooks, cook prosciutto in a skillet over medium heat, until crisp. Be careful to not over cook, as it can burn easily. Remove from heat, drain on paper towels if necessary.
- Clean and blot or spin dry greens, if necessary. Lightly toss the greens with balsamic dressing until just coated. Place greens on individual plates, layered with 2-3 slices of squash. Crumble on prosciutto. Top with shavings of Parmesan.
- Simply combine all ingredients in a bowl or dressing jar and thoroughly combine. Adjust seasonings. I like mine a little 'herbier' than some do.
Healing Energetics: All 5 flavors (bitter, sour, sweet, salty and pungent) are represented in this salad, making this a recipe that helps to balance all 5 elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood). The squash and balsamic provide sweet that enters Stomach and Spleen (Earth). Bitter that enters the Fire organs of Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium and Triple warmer is present in the greens and herbs. Sour, found in the vinegar and Parmesan, enter the Liver and Gallbladder organs of the Wood element. The pungent flavors of the herbs enter the Metal organs of Lung and Colon, annd finally, Salty that enters the Kidney and Bladder is found in the Parmesan and the prosciutto.
Season: Late Summer/transition.
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