Watery Stuffed Peppers

The Problem: All too often, stuffed peppers aren't worth eating. They turn out either too mushy or too firm and are full of uninteresting, greasy fillings. Initial testing of published recipes revealed peppers varied in degree of doneness; some were so thoroughly cooked that they slumped onto their sides, unable to support their stuffed weight. On the other end of the spectrum, barely cooked peppers added an unfriendly crunch and bitter flavor to the mix. Fillings weren’t much better; an all-rice version was uninteresting, while another stuffed with all meat was leaden and greasy.

The Goal: To make appetizing stuffed peppers, with firm shells surrounding flavorful fillings. We wanted stuffed peppers that would yield a tender bite yet retain enough structure to stand up proudly on the plate, with a simple yet gratifying filling, neither humdrum nor packed with odd ingredients.

The Solution: Blanch the peppers for three minutes, and instead of shocking in ice water to halt the cooking process, allow the peppers to finish cooking with residual heat. Update the classic 1950s filling of rice and ground beef with sautéed onions, garlic, and cheese. Top with ketchup and sprinkle with cheese, and bake until bubbly and browned.