In Season :: Roasted Shishito Peppers

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Shishito peppers just might be my favorite summertime appetizer. They seem fancy because they’re on so many restaurant menus these days, but really, they couldn’t be easier to make! Toss them with a little olive oil, salt & pepper, and roast them until blistering. You can stop there (maybe toss them with a little soy sauce), or make one of the simple dipping sauces below. Beware, as you eat these little guys… their flavor is mild, but every now and then you might get a hot one that will knock you off your chair.

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Roasted Shishito Peppers

serves 3-4 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

• 2 heaping cups shishito peppers (or padrone peppers)
  (find them at your farmers market summer through fall, depending on your area. Or at most asian markets).
• drizzle of olive oil
• salt
• toasted sesame seeds

sesame peanut sauce:

• 1/4 teaspoon creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (to taste)
• juice of 1 lime

lemon-basil yogurt:

• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• big squeeze of lemon
• small handful of basil
• a few chopped chives
• salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Peanut Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the peanut sauce. Taste and adjust. Depending on the thickness of your peanut butter, you may have to add a bit of warm water to thin it out.
2. Yogurt Sauce: In a food processor, blend together the ingredients for the yogurt sauce. (alternatively, you can very finely chop your herbs and stir everything together in a bowl).
3. For the Shishitos: Wrap the peppers in foil with a bit of olive oil and salt, and roast in a 450 degree oven for 5-7 minutes. Open the foil, turn the heat up to broil, and continue roasting for another 2 minutes, or until they begin to blacken and blister.
4. Serve hot. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with dipping sauce of your choice.

photos & recipe: Love & Lemons

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