Blistered Shishito Peppers – A Fun Appetizer or Side for Your Labor Day Celebration

My husband and I had intended to grow jalapeño peppers this year but instead came home with a shishito pepper plant. When we discovered our mistake, I was delighted, as we haven’t found shishito peppers in our supermarket until this last summer.

The first time I ate shishito peppers was at Henry’s Pub in Loveland. Henry’s blisters the peppers and serves them as a side with Chicken Tikki Masala. I fell in love with these tasty chilis.

Shishito peppers are a small, sweet Japanese heirloom chili pepper. They are a vibrant green color and turn red as they mature. They are slender and grow to be 2 to 4 inches in length. Although mild, ranging from 50 to 200 on the Scoville scale, one in ten shishito pepper will pack a punch. They can be particularly spicy when they have matured and turned red.

These Japanese chilis have a fresh, grassy flavor and are usually eaten whole after being roasted at a high temperature or blistered. Shishito peppers are usually served as an appetizer or side with a sprinkle of sea salt and either garnished with fresh lemon juice or lemon zest.

We have harvested about eight shishito peppers so far. We neglected to get one picked in its prime, and it turned bright red. Afraid of how hot it might be, we didn’t eat it. Since our harvest has been skimpy, we have been buying shishito peppers at the supermarket. An 8-ounce bag is only $2.99, so they are reasonably priced. I cooked them according to package directions with one exception. I blistered my shishitos without olive oil and drizzled them with oil after they were cooked.

Blistered Shishito Peppers can be prepared in about five minutes and are absolutely delicious. They will make an easy, affordable, tasty addition to whatever you have planned for Labor Day. We served them with Carol Ann’s Asian Aioli.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Serves 4

1 package (8-ounces) shishito peppers

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Flaky sea salt to taste

Rinse peppers and dry thoroughly with kitchen towels. Place a large cast-iron skillet over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle drops of water into the skillet. The skillet will be hot enough when the droplets sizzle.

Add peppers to the hot skillet, placing them in a single layer. Sear them until they are blistered and browned, about 2 minutes. Peppers will pop as they blister.

Using tongs, turn the peppers over and sear them on the second side, another 2 minutes.

Transfer the blistered peppers to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with flaky sea salt. (I use about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.)

Serve with Carol Ann’s Asian Aioli on the side.

For Carol Ann’s Asian Aioli:

½ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 green onion, thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon sesame seeds

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, garlic, green onion, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper and whisk to blend. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips on selecting shishito peppers: Select firm, plump chiles with shiny skin and a fresh smell. Do not buy wrinkled or soft shishitos. Also, if the skin is mushy toward the stem end, or if the skin is soft, or brown, the pepper will be inferior.

Tips on storing shishito peppers: Refrigerate in reusable, paper, or plastic bags for up to 1 week.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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