Shishito pepper poppers

I love shishito peppers. In fact, they are one of my default apero snacks.

It is pretty fun to not know how sweet or spicy a batch is going to be – for the record, this one was hot, hot, hot! – and they make an appetizer that’s easy to pick up and enjoy.

Plus, they just look beautiful, like little gems, don’t they?

Serve them with a sprinkling of sea salt or a smoky salt, if you want to be even more adventurous.

Tips: Avoid using olive oil or other oils with a low smoke point. You want an oil that will not start smoking up your kitchen as you cook the peppers at a high temperature!

Shishito pepper poppers

You’ll need:

• 8-10 peppers
• 1 1/2 T grapeseed or canola oil
• sea salt
• juice of 1/3 lemon

1. Heat oil a cast iron, wok, or other high heat pan.

2. Add peppers to pan, making sure there is enough room for all of them. Now don’t move them – let them char and blister, first.

3. Flip or toss the peppers, carefully, so they cook on all sides.

4. Take off heat once the shishito peppers are blistered, and just starting to “shrivel up” a bit. Sprinkle with a good bit of salt, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve immediately.