Spicy Stuffed Peppers

I had these at a friend's potluck at the beginning of this year and knew immediately I needed to figure out how to make them at home. It's one of those things that looks unremarkable (or even a little questionable) at first glance, but bite into one, and the crisp snap of the pepper gives way to rich, savory and spicy pork that hooks you. The mild bitterness of the pepper plays off the sweetness of the hoisin and the heat from the doubanjiang in a way that makes you reach for the next one, before you've finished chewing.

The best part, though, is how simple it is to prepare, and all the prep can be done ahead of time. The filling is just a simple stir-fry of ground pork, garlic, and ginger that's seasoned with hoisin sauce, doubanjiang, and red miso. The key is to let the meat cool a bit before you spoon it into the fresh peppers so they don't lose that crisp, juicy contrast that makes the whole thing work.

I used a mild thin-skinned pepper called piman in Japanese, but any mild pepper works here. Mini sweet peppers, bell peppers cut into scoop-sized pieces, even fresh banana peppers will work. The pepper isn't just for flavor and texture; it's also the edible vessel, so pick whatever you can find that will hold the meat in place until it reaches your mouth.

The beauty of this recipe is how flexible it is. This format works with just about any well-seasoned meat filling, whether that's the topping for taco rice, picadillo, or keema curry. And while these make impressive canapés for entertaining, they are easy enough to throw together on a random weeknight when you just want something satisfying to snack on with a cold beer.