The best stuffed peppers

Ingredients:

• 450 g of ground beef
• 6 large red, yellow, and orange bell peppers
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
• 4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1cm pieces.
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup lightly salted chicken broth
• 2 cups of boiled rice
• 2 tbsp. grated muenster

Preparation:

1. The peppers should stand upright on the cutting board. If they fall over, trim about 0.3 cm off the bottom to stabilize them. Cut about 1 cm off the top of each pepper. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the remaining flesh from the tops. Scoop out the seeds and as much membrane as possible.
2. Place the peppers in a large microwave-safe bowl with 0.5 cups of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 12 minutes. Carefully uncover the peppers and let them rest until ready to assemble.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 3 minutes. Stir and continue cooking, breaking up any large clumps with the back of a spoon and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, for 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned beef to a large bowl.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the reserved finely chopped pepper, onion, garlic, thyme, 4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, 10-12 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they break down and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until the sauce thickens and the alcohol aroma disappears, 6-8 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Transfer everything to the bowl with the beef. Add the rice and stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. The filling will be moist. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Position the oven rack on the middle shelf and preheat the oven to 230°C.
7. Place the peppers, cut-side up, in a 22 x 32 cm baking dish. Spoon the filling into the peppers, pressing it gently with the back of a spoon. Be careful not to overfill or split the peppers. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the peppers with cheese and continue baking until the filling is heated through and the cheese is golden brown in spots, 10 to 12 minutes.