Pat: When the grill is fired up for dinner—as it often is in our house—these toasts make great appetizers. The grilled vegetables and vinegar create an appealing relish that’s the perfect foil for Gorgonzola cheese. The pungent, savory flavors are a fantastic kickoff to a juicy grilled steak and a killer bottle of red wine.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat a grill to 375°F (or turn on the broiler).
Step 2
Place the garlic cloves and olive oil in a saucepan, and heat gently for 1 to 2 minutes, to flavor the oil (be careful not to burn the garlic or it will turn acrid and bitter). Discard the garlic.
Step 3
Cut the baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices, brush the slices lightly with the garlic oil (you will have some left over) and grill them (or toast them) until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Set the bread aside, uncovered, so that it will remain crisp while you prepare the vegetables.
Step 4
Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Brush the bell peppers and tomato halves with the remaining garlic oil, and grill or broil on both sides until lightly charred but still firm. Cool the vegetables for several minutes before roughly chopping and tossing them in a bowl with the basil, vinegar, capers, salt and pepper to taste, and any remaining oil.
Step 5
Slather the toasts with the softened Gorgonzola, and top each one with a spoonful of the grilled pepper-and-tomato mixture and a grinding of black pepper.
