RECIPE: Cubanelle peppers speed up this comfort food classic

Stuffed peppers are a comfort food classic. Filled with ground meat, rice and aromatics, then topped with cheese, stuffed peppers are a popular recipe in many cuisines. Red and green bell peppers are typically used for the dish, but their thick walls can require a lengthy cook time that isn’t conducive to a busy weeknight meal. Enter the Cubanelle, also known as the Italian frying pepper.

Cubanelle peppers are not as mild as a bell pepper, but not as spicy as a poblano, registering between 500 and 1,000 heat units on the Scoville scale, which measures the spiciness of peppers. Cubanelle peppers are widely used throughout Central America, including Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The pepper walls are thinner than bell peppers, making this quick-cooking pepper a great one for stuffing. The peppers are usually pale green or a yellow-green color, but when allowed to fully ripen on the plant, will turn bright red to orange-red. When mature, the pods are between 4 and 6 inches long, 2 inches wide, and are banana-shaped, tapering near the bottom. Look for peppers with firm, glossy skin that is smooth and unblemished.

To store whole, uncooked Cubanelles, wrap them in dry paper towels and store them in a loosely sealed plastic bag or container before placing them in the fridge. (The paper towels wick away any moisture and the air circulation inhibits spoilage.) Cubanelle peppers are widely available, but if you cannot find them, you can substitute Hungarian wax peppers, large banana peppers, poblano or Anaheim peppers.