Caprese Salad Rolls and Fresh Pea Soup with Mint

YAY! Spring has sprung and my fresh herbs are up and ready. Actually, I bought some hydroponically grown basil that I am going to plant, but my mint, dill, curly parsley and chives are already growing well of their own volition. Also, I have a bunch of purple lilacs on my kitchen table wafting their scent through the gentle breeze that the open door of upstair's back porch affords. Hmmm. Lovely. I had to find ways to use all of my herbs to honor the season, and these dishes allow for just that...and were so so yummy! Finished product? A delicious lunch, ooo!, and a product review to boot.


RECIPES:

Caprese Salad Rolls (serves 1)-me so lonesome

• one Alexis brand frozen, ciabatta rosemary and olive oil roll
• two slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 6 large, fresh basil leaves
  
• 2 slices plum tomato
• olive oil, salt and pepper

• preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the roll on foil for 8 minutes
• slice roll in half and drizzle with olive oil
  
• layer 1 of the plum tomato, 1 slice of cheese, and 3 of the the basil leaves on top of the bottom half of the roll and season with a little bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• repeat and top with the top half of roll

Review:
The rolls were so good! I thought I might be dissappointed, but they really delivered. A crispy, crunchy crust outside and warm and chewy on the inside with a touch of rosemary flavor; the perfect accompaniment to turn my salad into a sammy. Buy these rolls!


RECIPE:
Fresh Pea Soup with Mint

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 c chopped leeks, white and light green parts
• 1/2 of a small onion, chopped
• 2 c veggie stock
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 teaspoons salt
  
• freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1/3 c half and half
• freshly chopped chives to garnish
  

• heat the butter in a large saucepan
• add the leeks and onion, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 min, until tender
• add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil
• add the peas and cook until the peas are tender, 3 min
• turn off the heat, add the mint, salt, and pepper
• Puree the soup in a blender, a food processor, or with an emulsion blender
• whisk in the half and half and garnish with chives