Stuffed Piquillo Peppers Goat Cheese

Ingredients

For filling:

Extra-virgin olive oil for sauteing

4 ounces diced shallots

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pound mushrooms (crimini, shiitake or portabella, or a combination), diced

1 ounce brandy

1 pound fresh goat cheese

6 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

12 jarred or canned roasted piquillo peppers

For the tomato sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small green pepper, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 ounces small carrots, diced

1 1-pound can whole plum tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Italian parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

To make the filling, heat the oil in a saute pan. Add shallots and cook until transparent. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add brandy and cook until the brandy evaporates. Remove from heat and reserve at a cool temperature.

After the mushrooms have cooled, mix the goat cheese, cream cheese and mushrooms in a bowl. Mix very well and, using a spoon, fill the peppers. Reserve.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a pan. Add the garlic, green pepper, onion and carrots and cook until they are caramelized. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper and cook about 35 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain and keep cool until ready to serve.

To serve, put two filled peppers on each plate and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Heat the tomato sauce in a pan until very hot. Spoon sauce over peppers and garnish with Italian parsley leaves.