Isn’t this a gorgeous salad? It tastes delightful, too. You get all the gloriousness of summer squash, savory prosciutto, and juicy cherry tomatoes — plus some citrus, herbs, and a bit of char, for good measure.

But before it becomes a pretty pile of edible ribbons, we slide the prosciutto and mandolin-sliced zucchini and yellow squash onto double skewers (those paper-thin slices don’t like to stay put on a single stick). It’s a bit of a process, so we have a sly habit of inviting the crew over on the early side and roping everyone into helping out. In our experience, no one seems to mind the work if they’ve also got a glass of wine in their hand.

The skewers hit the grill for a hot three minutes — just enough time for the veggies to tenderize slightly and for the prosciutto to get a wee bit crispy. Then we slide everything off the skewers, scatter the tomatoes here and there, and drizzle it all in a bright vinaigrette of lime, mint, and garlic.

Lime and prosciutto may seem like a peculiar combination. But, as it turns out, the sweet-tart in the lime and the smoky salt in the pork are like complementary colors. That said, our favorite part of this dish is how well the thin, delicately crunchy summer squash soaks up all that zippy dressing.

This salad makes a great side for everything from Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza to cedar-planked salmon — and since it’s such a looker, it's a great one to bring over to the neighbor’s dinner party. But we also like to throw it together as the main event after a long, hot day: it’s light enough to not bog you down during the dog days of summer, but still incredibly satisfying.

Our tip: make a little extra lime vinaigrette to keep in the fridge; it’ll be good on everything from raw veggies to rice bowls.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tsp lime zest

3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

¼ cup chopped Gelson’s organic mint leaves

2 garlic cloves, grated

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground Gelson’s black pepper, to taste

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline

2 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline

6 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, halved lengthwise

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Special equipment: 24 12” bamboo skewers

Directions

1. Bring a grill or grill pan to high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, mint leaves, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.

2. Thread the slices of zucchini, yellow squash, and prosciutto onto a pair of bamboo skewers until it’s full. Repeat with all the skewers.

3. Lightly brush the vegetables and prosciutto with extra virgin olive oil and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper.

4. Grill the skewers over high heat until the squash is lightly charred, about 1 ½ minutes per side.

5. Remove the vegetables and prosciutto from the skewers and layer them, alternating with the tomatoes, on a large serving platter. Drizzle with the mint dressing and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from: Food & Wine

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