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.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　2 garlic cloves, peeled

　　1/3 cup olive oil

　　1 large baguette

　　1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

　　1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

　　4 plum tomatoes, halved and grilled

　　3 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

　　2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

　　1 tablespoon capers, drained

　　Kosher salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　4 ounces creamy Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, at room temperature

　　

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.

　　From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf.Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters.Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.