Focus on food: September 26, 2009

Pepper and Fontina Cheese Salad

Foods Paired with Rodney Strong Wines

Ingredients:
2 each red, green, and yellow bell peppers
1/4 lb. fontina cheese, diced
1/4 cup green, pitted olives
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1 head bibb lettuce, or hearty green leaf lettuce

dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
6 each peppercorns, crushed
3 tablespoons light cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions (green onions)

Direction:
1. Trim the stem ends of the peppers and cut the peppers in half on the vertical. Remove core and seeds. Place pepper halves on a foil linede cookie sheet and broil under high heat until the skin blackens and blisters.
2. Scrape off the skin and cut the peppers into long, even strips, about 3/8 inch wide. Place the strips in a bowl with the diced cheese and olives.
3. For the dressing, mix all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Toss dressing into the pepper mixture and chill for 1 ½ hours.
Served drained pepper mix on lettuce-lined salad plates.

Serves 6.