I imagine eating from a bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans is like playing a game of Russian roulette. While the outcome could mean a delicious jelly bean, it may also mean enduring the flavor of booger or vomit. Too much? Well I think eating blistered shishito peppers is like playing the same game. Most of the time, they are sweet and delicious when paired with a flaky sea salt. But once in a blue moon, you get a spicy one, and it just destroys your taste buds.
Needless to say, I’m into blistered shishito peppers right now. They’re a pretty fun snack to have, especially when you’re with friends and drinking a few cold ones. Which, well, I’m kind of not doing right now. But as I’m eating these peppers and drinking a beer by myself, I like to pretend like this is my life.
What are shishito peppers, and where can I find them?
They’re not as common as other peppers are in grocery stores, so maybe you haven’t heard of them before. Shishito peppers are a common sweet pepper in East Asia, and one of the easiest ways to cook them is blistering them in a cast-iron skillet. As I said, they are mostly sweet, but every now and then you do get a spicy one that can really knock your socks off. So maybe, just in case, have a glass of milk nearby…
I was able to get this bag of peppers in my Imperfect Foods box, which I was super pumped about. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are other excellent options for finding shishito peppers if you’re up for a game of blistered shishito pepper Russian roulette at home.
Looking for flavor? Add lemon!
For my recipe I kept it simple—oil, peppers, and salt. But I’ve noticed that a few other recipe developers have squeezed some fresh lemon juice on top of the peppers after blistering them, so that’s always an option if you’re looking to give your peppers a special pop of flavor.
I also love adding these to tacos! I know that sounds a bit strange, but I actually diced a few of the leftover shishito peppers and sprinkled the pieces on top of tacos. It added a unique flavor to them, and of course, a burst of spiciness when I least expected it.
Other snack ideas for your happy hour
I mean, if you are hosting a little outdoor happy hour with friends, snacks are encouraged. These blistered shishito peppers will certainly win a crowd, as well as these other tasty bites.
- Italian Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
- Prosciutto Cucumber Bites
- Salsa Verde
- Charcuterie Board
- Roasted Artichokes
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
And of course, margaritas would go great with these.
Blistered Shishito Peppers
Equipment
- Cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups shishito peppers
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Rinse off the shishito peppers, then pat them dry.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the peppers with the teaspoon of olive oil until all of the peppers are evenly coated.
- Heat up the cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Wait until it's hot enough. You can test this by adding a drop of water and seeing if it will sizzle/evaporate.
- Add the peppers to the pan. Let them sit for a minute.
- Using a pair of tongs, turn the shishito peppers to a different side. Repeat this step every minute or so until the shishito peppers are charred ("blistered") on the outside. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Remove to bowls and sprinkle with salt, then serve.
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