Blistered Shishito Peppers

GLUTEN-FREE  |  GRAIN-FREE  |  DAIRY-FREE  |  DETOX-FRIENDLY

Shishito peppers mostly mild and sweet, but occasionally you'll find a spicy one. They're in season now, so look for them at your local farmer's market.

These peppers can be eaten like any other pepper, in stir fries, curries, or omelets. I like them as a simple starter. It's one the quickest and easiest appetizers ever: Just sauté, salt, and serve.

You'll need a cooking fat that tolerates high temperatures to cook the peppers quickly, so they maintain some of their structure. I used ghee but you could substitute cold-pressed coconut oil. 

I prefer eating them au natural, but if you want to add some flavor, you can drizzle them with cold-pressed sesame oil once they've finished cooking. (Don't cook the sesame oil because it's too fragile for cooking.)

1 pound shishito peppers
1 tsp ghee
Sea salt

1. If you've just washed the peppers, dry them. Any water droplets will spit and splatter once they hit the hot pan. 
2. Warm a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the peppers in a single layer and cook until they brown and blister, just a minute or two. 
3. Flip the peppers over and brown the other side. Don't walk away from the stove because they will cook quickly. 
4. Once they're evenly blistered, remove them from the heat, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve immediately. This dish is finger food: Hold them by the stem end and bite off the pepper part.