If you are new to the shishito pepper, they are mild, sweet, thin little peppers. Once they are blistered and charred, they turn into the most deliciously soft and smoky little treats.
Shishito or Padrón peppers (basically the same thing) are extremely addictive and a super simple dish. You can’t stop at just one, the crunchy salt, rich oil, and smoky peppers keep you coming back for more.
One warning, there are a few spicy ones in every batch of otherwise mellow peppers, but there’s no telling which ones, it’s a guessing game!
Prep time: 10min - Cook time: 10minutes - Total time: 20 minutes
Yields: 15-20 peppers
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces fresh shishito or Padrón peppers, left whole with stems and seed
Coarse sea salt, to taste
Directions:
Heat heavy large skillet or cast iron over high heat.
Add oil and swirl skillet to coat. Heat until oil is very hot and begins to shimmer about 2 minutes.
Add the whole peppers; stir 2-3 times until chiles are blistered on both sides about 4 minutes (some will be soft and some will be slightly firm, depending on size).
Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, sprinkle generously with additional coarse sea salt and toss to coat, then place in a serving bowl.
Optional: add lemon juice, sumac, or any other spice you like.
Serve immediately.