This is an odd little dish — a little cold, a little hot, very colorful and immensely flavorful. It just sorta came to me, so I put it together and ate it for lunch one Sunday.

I debated whether to cook the tomato or whether to leave the pepper raw, so that each would match the other, but somehow sautéeing the pepper with some bits of pepperoni, then serving it over the sliced tomato just struck my fancy.

And sometimes, that's all it takes ...

Tomato Salad with Sauteed Yellow Pepper

Ingredients


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1 small yellow pepper, chopped

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup finely diced pepperoni

2 tablespoons pesto

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add the onion and pepper; cook until vegetables are softening, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook until it is absorbed. Add the pepperoni and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the pesto.

Place the tomato wedges in a dish or on a plate, and top with the vegetable mixture.

Serves 2.

Note: I used Flip Flop Wines Riesling, which had been sent to me for tasting/cooking purposes.

Mary Bilyeu has won or placed in more than 60 cooking contests and writes about her adventures in the kitchen. She was thrilled to have her post about Scottish Oatmeal Shortbread named as one of the daily "Best of the Blogs" by the prestigious Food News Journal.

Go visit Mary's blog — Food Floozie — on which she enthuses and effuses over all things food-related. Her newest feature is Frugal Floozie Friday, seeking fun and food for $5 or less ... really! Feel free to email her with questions or comments or suggestions: yentamary@gmail.com.

The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured at the top of this post) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15 and is a wish for all her readers as they cook along with her ... may you always be happy here.