How to cut a bell pepper for a successful griddle

For a successful plancha grill, always start with fresh, firm, and brightly colored bell peppers—red, yellow, or green for a mix of sweet and crunchy flavors. Wash them thoroughly in cold water, then dry them with a clean cloth to prevent moisture from diluting their aroma during cooking. Remove the green stem by cutting it off with a clean, circular motion, and scoop out the seeds and any fibrous white inner parts, which can be bitter.

Cutting techniques: thin or melting?

Choose thin strips (3-5 mm) if you want a quick and crispy result, ideal for accompanying meat or fish. For a more tender and caramelized result, opt for thicker strips (8-10 mm). A brilliant and effective tip: cut off the top and bottom of the pepper to create a cylinder, slice it vertically along its entire length, then unroll the skin flat like a sheet of paper. This prevents waste and ensures an even cut. Then slice into parallel strips with a sharp knife – a width of 5 to 10 mm is perfect for the griddle, as it cooks quickly without burning.

Key steps in detail:

• Cleaning: Wash, dry, remove stem, seeds and white membranes.
• Quick cutting: Cut off the top and bottom, open in half, slice the flesh into strips.
• Check: The pieces must be uniform for even cooking.

Plancha cooking: high heat and intense flavors

Lightly oil the strips with olive oil (or a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut oil ) directly on the hot griddle. Sauté over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the edges color and caramelize—this is when the umami flavors develop. Season with salt and pepper at the end of cooking to prevent the vegetables from drying out. For extra-tender bell peppers, blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling water before adding them to the griddle.

Pro tips to enhance your peppers

• Colors and taste: Mix red (sweet), yellow (mild) and green (slightly bitter) peppers for a rainbow visual and a rich flavor palette.
• Seasonings: Add chopped garlic, fresh thyme, herbes de Provence, or Espelette pepper just before the end. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar after cooking enhances the tenderness.
• Variations: Grill them whole on a griddle, then peel off the blackened skin for candied peppers. Or combine them with onions and eggplant for a quick ratatouille.

With these steps, your grilled peppers will be tender inside, crispy outside, and impossible to mess up. Perfect for an appetizer with a Mediterranean salad!