by If summer were like shishito peppers, the season would always be bright and fresh and mostly mild (oh, there’s a hot one here and there). And the living would be easy.
Shishito peppers started appearing in my community sponsored agriculture (CSA) veggie box about two years ago. That’s CSA magic; a seasonal something suddenly shows up, you furrow your brow (“Hmmm…what is this?”), and get to Googling. And voila–a new taste treat.
Sweet, wrinkled, and a lovely lime green, shishitos originated in Japan. They are a variety of the jalapeño, cayenne, and bell pepper family (Capsicum annum). Think banana peppers but smaller, lighter in color, and possessing more bite.
The wonderful thing about shishitos is they need almost no preparation to enjoy. Just blister them. Basically, that’s sautéing the peppers whole in a little olive oil, turning often, until the skin looks–well–blistered.
Some recipes advise poking holes prior to cooking (to release pressure as the peppers heat) but I’ve never bothered. You’ll know they’re done by the pungent, mouth-watering aroma, seared skins, and slightly deflated appearance. Recipes may call for a variety of ingredients–browned butter, Parmesan, spice blends, garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, tofu mustard (!?)–but simple is nice. And easy. And tasty.
Shishito Peppers Go Great with Eggs
Sure, you can eat these babies as a snack (add to a cheese tray for appetizers) or with dinner (I want to grill them with shish kebabs), but I think shishito peppers shine with breakfast. Here’s how I used my last batch:
I started with a New York Times recipe I’d previously cooked and enjoyed (Melissa Clark’s Baked Polenta with Crispy Leeks and Blue Cheese). Note–I cheat with easier polenta preparation:
- 1 cup cornmeal, 4 cups water (or chicken stock), and 1 teaspoon salt
- mix directly into 8×8 inch glass dish
- cook at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes
- remove from oven, stir in 1 tablespoon butter and the 4 ounces (1 cup) of blue cheese Clark calls for, and add salt and pepper to taste
- bake for another 10 minutes.
While the polenta baked, I prepared leeks as directed. Then, I blistered the shishito peppers in olive oil. While I sliced pretty heirloom tomatoes, my husband whipped up perfectly poached eggs (his specialty). All that was left was assembly: tomato slice topped by a puddle of polenta, nestled poached eggs, and a sprinkling of leeks. Shishito peppers and fresh peaches to the side. Yum!
Some Links, Just for You
How hot is that pepper? PepperScale will tell you
“9 Restaurant-Worthy Shishito Pepper Recipes That You Can Make at Home” by Nina Friend, Food & Wine
Johnson’s Backyard Garden, locally grown, organic produce (my CSA)
