An attractive, elegant Mediterranean style first course with a variety of textures and flavors (Serves 6 persons) 3 sweet red bell peppers 2 heads of garlic 18 Crimini mushrooms 12 Calamata olives 5 oz. Pepper Capri goat cheese 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 head Radiccio 1 head Romaine Cut the peppers in half; remove the seeds and stems. Separate and peel the cloves of garlic from the two heads. In a baking dish coated lightly with olive oil, arrange the pepper halves and Crimini mushrooms placing the garlic cloves under the pepper halves, reserving two cloves to be crushed. Crush two cloves of garlic into 3 tablespoons olive oil. Drizzle the mixture over the mushrooms and peppers. Sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake in a an oven preheated to 400° for 20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Add the peppered goat cheese, cut into 6 pieces, and bake for another 7 minutes. On each plate, arrange a bed of alternating leaves of radiccio and romaine, one pepper half, several cloves of garlic, three crimini mushrooms, two olives, and one piece of warmed goat cheese. For a variation, use medallions of the Capri Classic Blue Log served at room temperature in place of the Pepper Capri. |