Yellow Pepper & Sun-dried Tomato Appetizer a la Tel Aviv This appetizer is very trendy right now in Tel Aviv. It's a modern Mediterranean-style dish that bridges the gap between traditional Middle-Eastern and contemporary European food. Serve with hunks of country-style bread. 10 to 15 sun-dried tomatoes 4 to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 yellow bell peppers, stemmed, deribbed and cut into bite-size pieces 6 garlic cloves, chopped 1½ cups diced tomatoes (canned OK) 1 teaspoon or more fresh thyme leaves Large pinch of sugar Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 to 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley Put the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and add hot water to cover. Let soak for at least 30 minutes, then drain and cut into halves or quarters. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the peppers and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Don't let them get too soft. Add half of the garlic, the diced tomatoes, thyme and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high and cook until the mixture is reduced to a thick paste. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, capers and the remaining garlic. Let cool to room temperature. May be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Serve at warm-room temperature, heaped in a bowl and sprinkled with parsley. Serves 4 to 6. By Marlena Spieler, special to the San Francisco Chronicle, October 4, 2000 middle eastern recipe index christina m k al-sudairy subscribe!