Sautéed Shishito Peppers
I don't know how I got through 53 years of life without tasting a shishito pepper; but it wasn't until my dear friend, Sakina, brought a bagful to my house that I had the pleasure of trying them. She fried them up in my kitchen, so I was able to watch and learn. They're not only insanely simple to make but incredibly satisfying to eat. They've become one of my favorite snacks to serve with drinks. They're not easy to find, although I've come across them at a number of farmers' markets, plus Whole Foods generally stocks them (which I'm thrilled to say we now have within 20 minutes of the house!). The fun is finding the spicy peppers in the mix...about one in 10 has a nice kick!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for sautéeing
Shishito peppers
Sea salt
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan until it is good and hot but not smoking.
Add the peppers (carefully, as the oil's hot and will splatter) and cook them over medium-high heat, allowing them to char on one side. Then toss and turn frequently until they blister and char all over.
When they're done (after about 6 minutes), toss them with salt and serve them on a large platter.
Pick them up by the stem and eat the whole thing (except for the stem, of course).
