Tri-colored roasted peppers and bruschetta with olive oil


Here’s a delicious dish that can be a healthy lunch or a wonderful first course.

Ingredients:
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 large clove of garlic
2 ounces of olive oil
Four slices of crusty French or Italian bread

Roast each pepper one at a time on an open flame right on your stovetop. You can use a wire rack if you feel that the pepper will fall through onto the burner. Keep turning the pepper with a pair of metal tongs until it becomes completely black. If you see the skin starting to get ashy white, you are over doing it. What is happening here is that you are burning the skin but slowly roasting the meat of the pepper. When all your peppers are done, puncture a hole in each to let out any hot air that is trapped inside.
Then under cold running water, gently peel off the burnt skin to reveal the cooked pepper inside. Leave a very small amount of black for flavor and do not over rinse — you want some of the charcoal flavor. Remove the stem of the pepper and the seeds inside and cut the pepper into half-inch wide strips lengthwise.
Add your pepper strips to a bowl and mix them with sliced or minced fresh garlic and an ounce and a half of the olive oil. Let marinate in your refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight if you desire. Good olive oil will congeal when refrigerated, so when you are ready to serve, leave it out for a few minutes and mix it well.
Brush your sliced bread on one side with some of the remaining olive oil. You can add chopped garlic and parsley for a little extra flavor or color. Toast the slices under your broiler or on an open flamed grill and serve hot with the peppers.
Even though you have the little bit of bread, just think how much healthier this is than fast food or a sandwich. But don’t eat the whole dish yourself. Invite a friend over for some good conversation and maybe a nice glass of wine. And don’t forget to turn off your television!

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