Trail of Crumbs: Spring Pea Salad with Minted Cream and Grilled Cheese Toasts

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I get stumped on sides most nights.  I'm great at coming up with entrees, but as you may have noticed, the plate is usually a little bare aside from that.  It's a combination of both lack of time and lack of creativity.  So steamed veggies have become a near-constant around here.  That and black beans.  I've been trying to work on that by adding some new side recipes to my repertoire.  Like the caramelized green beans and almonds I made earlier this week.  Or the roasted brussels sprouts in browned butter. 

This is a recipe that is for sure getting added to my side dish list.  Mostly because it went over so well with Thatbaby who is going through the typical toddler "I don't like green" phase.  But he loved these peas, he loved the prosciutto, and he loved the cheese bread.  The dish makes a lot, so he even loved it the next day.  I especially liked it because sometimes it's too hot out for warm vegetable sides.  This is a nice, cool, refreshing summer treat.

Spring Pea Salad with Minted Cream and Grilled Cheese Toasts (From Trail of Crumbs)

 2 cups fresh, shelled, English peas

1 cup fresh snow peas

3 slices prosciutto

1 cup creme fraiche

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

fleur de sel and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

2 to 3 Tbsp julienned fresh mint leaves

1. Cook the English peas 1 to 2 minutes in salted boiling water.
2. Add snow peas and let cook 1 minute more.  Shock peas in an ice bath and let drain.
3. Cook prosciutto in a hot pan until crispy.  Remove from pan and reserve. 
4. Combine creme fraiche, lemon juice, fleur de sel, pepper, and fresh mint ina  bowl.
5. Add peas and stir gently to combine.  Let chill in refrigerator about 1 hour.  
6. Top with crispy prosciutto and serve with grilled goat cheese toast.

Grilled Goat Cheese Toast
Slice baguette and grill or toast lightly.  Rub with garlic and place cheese on top.  Broil for a few seconds, sprinkle with some fresh herbs and/or a drizzle of good olive oil.