Looking for a light, healthy homemade dinner recipe that’s ready in a snap of a finger?
This lean, air-dried Bresaola beef with arugula, shaved Parmesan cheese and lemon dressing might be exactly for you are looking for!
Bresaola is an Italian cured meat that has been air-dried and aged for 2-4 month. It’s super low fat (only 2%) as it’s made from a single muscle of beef.
The world-famous Bresaola is produced in northern Lombardy, Italy.
If you have an opportunity choose Bresaola from Valtellina or Valchiavenna.
It reads on the package or simply ask for a fresh cut at your local Italian Deli.
Valtellina and Valchiavenna are the two main valleys situated in the heart of the Alps. With low average temperatures and dry air these regions are made for production of the most flavorful cured Bresaola meat.
Another secret to an aromatic and pleasantly musty Bresaola Beef is the manual massaging of the meat.
It’s usually repeated every 48 hours in the first 15 days and it ensures that all the spices are rubbed in and absorbed evenly and thoroughly.
Good quality Bresaola has a deep red, almost dark purple color, not too salty and not too spicy. Just enough to feel the flavor and aromas in a perfectly thin cut.
Even though Bresaola beef tastes amazing on its own, this delicate combination of lemon dressing and slightly spicy arugula leaves topped with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese is the perfect way to turn in into a beautiful plate.
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
4 oz Bresaola Meat
2 cups arugula leaves
1 lemon, squeezed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, shaved
Preparation:
Step 1: Squeeze fresh lemon juice for the dressing, filtering the pulp and the seeds. One small lemon will be enough to get 3 tablespoons of juice. Mix with extra virgin olive oil.
NOTE: You can substitute lemon juice with balsamic vinegar. The taste however will be different. But in this recipe it's a matter of personal preference rather than a rule.
Step 2: Layer Bresaola slices on a plate, slightly overlapping each other.
Drizzle generously with a lemon dressing. Let marinate for about 10 minutes or the time you are preparing arugula and serving the table.
Step 3: See direction on the arugula pack. Wash and dry if directed so.
Cut off the long stems. Now, removing the stems is not mandatory. Arugula stems are edible but tend to have a strong bitter flavor.
It takes minutes to quickly cut off the stems if you are using scissors, and those few minutes are totally worth spending for the final results.
You’ll have a refined taste AND look.
Step 4: Using a vegetable peeler or grater shave Parmesan cheese.
Step 5: Place arugula leaves in the center, still with Bresaola slices showing off the edges.
Before serving drizzle with a few drops of quality extra virgin olive and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Healthy, meaty, super tasty - this Bresaola salad is sure to become one of your summer hits!
Full Recipe
Bresaola & Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 oz Bresaola Meat
- 2 cups arugula leaves
- 1 lemon squeezed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese shaved
Instructions
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice for the dressing, filtering the pulp and the seeds. One small lemon will be enough to get 3 tablespoons of juice. Mix with extra virgin olive oil.
- Layer Bresaola slices on a plate, slightly overlapping each other. Drizzle generously with a lemon dressing. Let marinate for about 10 minutes or the time you are preparing arugula and serving the table.
- See direction on the arugula pack. Wash and dry if directed so. Cut off the long stems. Now, removing the stems is not mandatory. Arugula stems are edible but tend to have a strong bitter flavor. It takes minutes to quickly cut off the stems if you are using scissors, and those few minutes are totally worth spending for the final results. You’ll have a refined taste AND look.
- Using a vegetable peeler or grater shave Parmesan cheese.
- Place arugula leaves in the center, still with Bresaola slices showing off the edges.
- Before serving drizzle with a few drops of quality extra virgin olive and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Buon Appetito!
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