Charred Shishito Peppers and Radishes
When my husband, three kids, and I go out to eat, it’s very rare that we can all agree on an appetizer to share. But when it comes to Asian food, there’s always one sure thing: Blistered Shishito Peppers. And when I’m able to find shishitos at the market, I prepare a version at home that doesn’t last very long!
If you’re not familiar with shishito peppers, they’re a type of pepper that’s typically sweet. I say typically because about one in ten (or as high as one in twenty) is surprisingly hot. Part of the fun is not knowing what you’re going to get. In other words, every once in a while, BOOM, you’re hit with a blast of heat. The thin green skin chars up quickly, and you can eat the whole pepper, seeds and all. You can find them at most grocery stores and farmers markets.
If you don’t have a large enough skillet, simply split the peppers up and make the recipe in two batches. For a fun presentation, you can leave the stems intact and use them as a handle to grab and enjoy (just don’t eat the stems). I also like to sometimes add colorful radishes to this dish, for some vitamin C and crunch.
Try my Sesame-Garlic Edamame.
Charred Shishito Peppers and Radishes
Ingredients
- 12 ounces shishito peppers, about 30 peppers
- 8 red radishes, cut in half (or quartered if they’re large)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut off the long stem from each pepper without fully removing the top. It’s important to leave the stem end intact.
- Liberally mist a large skillet with nonstick olive oil spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add the radishes to the pan, cut-side down, and cook until they start to brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Push them to the outer edge of the pan and add the peppers to the middle.
- Mist the pan with additional oil spray if it becomes too dry. Let the peppers cook, undisturbed, in a single layer (it’s okay if there’s some slight overlap in the skillet), until they are browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and salt and toss to coat the vegetables. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until they brown and blister in a few spots. Turn off the heat, squeeze on the lemon juice, and give everything a good toss.
- Place a cover on the skillet and let the vegetables continue to cook without the heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the cover, season with salt, if desired, and serve.
