Blistered Shishito Peppers

I first tasted shishito peppers a few years ago when Andrew and I were celebrating his birthday at B & G Oysters in Boston. A man sitting at the bar was eating a plate of them and they looked delicious; we flagged down our server and said we’ll have what he’s having. They were just as good as they looked! Shishitos are mild, but one out of every ten or so is a spicy one. (Sadly, there were no spicy ones in this batch!) To serve these peppers, I fried up some almonds (over medium heat until fragrant and slightly darker in color, about 5 to 10 minutes) in the oil before frying the peppers. You can also substitute Padrón peppers for the shishitos. And if you want to get a little fancier than this simple recipe, here are some ideas from Food & Wine magazine to get you started!

Blistered Shishito Peppers

• 3 Tbsp high-smoke-point vegetable oil (like avocado oil)
• 3 cups shishito peppers, washed and dried thoroughly
• flaky sea salt

1. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot, about two to three minutes. Add the peppers and cook, stirring frequently (and carefully—the oil tends to splatter a bit) until browned on all sides and starting to deflate slightly, about three to five minutes.
2. Remove peppers from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on the paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with salt flakes, and serve immediately.