Yum, this sounds just delicious! I don't think I've ever seen small peppers that you mention, but they sound wonderful. I've only recently developed a taste for different kinds of peppers.

Woodie, the Orchid Peppers (Aji Flor, actually) are a C. baccatum that lacks pungency. I mean, we're talking 1 Shu. So think of it as a bell pepper, only not as sweet.

What makes it special is it's shape, which looks just like an orchid. It grows green, ripening to a kind of lavanderish (Friend Wife says, "well, orchid"). Really pretty.

However, that filling would work with any small pepper, sweet or pungent. I've since used it in Sweet Apple, for instance. And a friend now uses it with his not-hot jalapenos.

But the fact is, it's good on crackers.

I think mild chilies would be a better choice than really hot ones, though. Something on the order of Fresnos, Poblanos, and Anaheims, for instance. Something that bites back, a little, but doesn't overpower with its heat.

3 tablespoons of red pepper? What do you expect me to do with the rest of the pepper???! throw it away???! and 1 cup of red onion? is that about 1 medium onion? do I really need to measure the onion?

Actually, I do have a question about this recipe (just having fun with you gardenlad :)

I am not sure about the pepper being raw (for my personal taste). Any problem with blanching or even baking this?

Maggie, I've only recently started keeping track of measurements. Believe me, I wouldn't have known how much pepper I used except I first chopped it, said to myself "that's enough" and then measured it for the recipe.

And what I do with the rest of the pepper is eat it raw as a snack.

That's not really true. In this case I was using Small Apple, an Hungarian sweet pepper, and all I did was use a whole one. They're not very big, compared to bells.

No, you don't need to measure the onion. Here, again, I used home-grown that are smaller than what I buy in the market. Added two of them, which made roughly a cup. Your mileage may vary.

Blanching the peppers first might work. Let them at least come to room temperature before stuffing, then pop in the fridge to chill.

For baking I think I would leave out the mayo, and be careful not to overstuff them or the cheese might run out. Rub the outside of the peppers with some EVOO, stuff them with the mixture, and pop into the oven. At a guess I'd say 350 for 20-30 minutes.