Sweet and Savory Summer Sandwich

A beautiful flavor blend of seasonal fruits and herbs to get your taste buds tuned into the summertime – this can be made as a vegan or non-vegan dish

This sandwich has been twelve years in the making. It was likely the first edible meal I've ever prepared.

When I'm craving savory in the summertime, this is my go-to. All the produce, cheese, and jams are easily sourced at my local Farmers Market (thank goodness!).

This recipe was inspired by the Caprese sandwich, which is believed to have originated in Capri, Italy sometime in the 1920s. To suit my tastes though, I don't love tomatoes and it is hit-or-miss whether they love me; hence, the replacement of the peaches. I also wanted something a bit more refreshing than basil, and not much beats the zing you get from chewing fresh mint. From there, the recipe evolved. It started as a cold sandwich, and still is delicious that way, but there's an extra savoriness with the melted herbed cheese – which one day I will have a recipe for.

I hope you enjoy this quick and easy summertime sandwich.

Ingredients

• 1 ball of Mozzarella

  • For a vegan alternative, mozzarella has a lot of room for improvement, but for the best so far is the Miyokos Plant Based Mozzerella

• 3-4 tbsp of Herbed Goat Cheese

  • For a vegan alternative, I love the Herb Garlic French-Style Cashew Cheese from Treeline Cheesemakers

• 1 fresh Peach, washed and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

• 2 sprigs of fresh Mint, washed (remove stems)

• 1/2 cup of fresh Arugula, washed

• 2 tbsp of Pesto

  • For a vegan option, I prefer Seggiano's Raw Basil Pesto

• Sourdough ciabatta roll (1) or slices (2)

• 2-3 tbsp of the Spiced-up Jam (ingredients for full recipe below)

Spiced-up Jam

• Jar of Blueberry, Blackberry, Fig, or similar Jam

  • Make sure you get a fruit-first jam and not a sugar-first jam, meaning fruit should be the first ingredient on the label; local is always best, if you can
    

• 3 tbsp Chia Seeds

• 1 fresh Jalapeño, minced

• 1 sprigs of Fresh Basil, thinly chopped (remove stem)

Instructions

1. Let's start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Then, we'll prepare the Spiced-up Jam.

3. Add 6 oz of jam to an 8 oz mason jar or container.

4. Add your chia seeds, freshly minced jalapeño, and thinly sliced basil.

5. Stir thoroughly and set aside in the refrigerator.

6. Begin to prepare your sandwich. Slice your Sourdough into two pieces.

7. On the first slice, add your pesto, then fresh arugula, then mozzarella slices, followed by your soft herbed cheese, then fresh mint, and lastly your peach slices.

8. On your second slice, add your Spiced-up jam. Then place on top of the stacked first slice.

9. Wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes (until bread is toasty and herbed cheese is melty).