From Jesse Cool

Use peppers when they are at their prime and in abundance. Rather than the expected grocery store bell peppers, lots of new varieties can be found at farmers’ markets or ethnic grocery stores. If you choose, roast and skin the peppers after searing over an open flame. I like to roast them in the oven; it works just as well and takes half the effort.

1 pound red or yellow organic bell peppers
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or basil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons organic butter, softened
3 garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon paprika
1 medium loaf organic Italian bread
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan or hard Italian cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the peppers on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. When they are slightly blackened and the skin is blistering on one side, turn them and cook for 15 minutes longer. Remove from the oven but do not turn off the oven. Place the peppers in a large bowl. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Peel off and discard the skins and remove and discard the seeds and stem. Slice or tear the peppers into narrow strips. Place in the bowl. Add the vinegar, oil, chives, sage or basil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat well. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, and paprika. Slice the bread horizontally in half lengthwise. If the bread is thick, remove some of the inside, leaving a hollow shell. Place the bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Spread thinly with the garlic butter. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Place the bottom half on a cutting board. Arrange the roasted peppers on the bread half. Top with the other bread half. Cut crosswise into 10 slices.
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See also Jesse’s Organic Wild, Wild Pasta Recipe
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Jesse Cool is author of Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients and many others, is owner of CoolEatz Restaurants and Catering, and lives in Menlo Park, California.
Image Credit: © Dennis Neffendorf | Dreamstime.com
OrganicToBe.org | OrganicToGo.com
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