Blistered Shishito Peppers

Blistered Shishito Peppers are an extraordinary Asian-style appetizer. With only a touch of seasoning and oil, you'll learn how to cook shishito peppers in this most delicious way!

If you want to hang with the popular peppers, the Shishito is the current leader.

Inspiration for Blistered Shishito Peppers

I had the best time at a recent media event at Melissa's Produce, to check out some of the most popular produce items.

My biggest takeaway from the event was that I should teach my readers how to cook shishito peppers.

It's all about the Japanese Shishito pepper, which according to my friends at Melissa's Produce, will be one of the most popular chile peppers over the next several years. We're loving these small, slender, finger-length chiles!

What do Shishito Peppers taste like?

Shishitos have a delicious and delicate, mild sweetness that's offset with very subtle heat. The level of heat can vary though -- about one in every dozen might be hot.

I've always loved blistered Shishito peppers as a side in Japanese restaurants, so that's what we're going to learn -- I think it's the most delicious way to eat them as it maximizes their flavor and texture.

How to Serve Blistered Shishito Peppers

Shishitos have a wrinkled skin with many grooves, which is an ideal surface to blister and char beautifully, when cooked quickly over high heat.

They make for a most excellent snack, simply sautéed with a touch of salt and pepper! (See below.)

You can find Shishito peppers on menus in most Japanese restaurants -- usually served as an appetizer seasoned with soy sauce or sesame oil, and sometimes with vinegar and bonito flakes. 

And lately they're making their way into restaurants of all sorts -- and they will be doing so even more!

Where to find Shishitos

Grown most of the year, you'll always be able to find Shishitos in Japanese markets -- and much like they're showing up more so in mainstream restaurants now, they're also moving into mainstream markets as they gain in popularity. And I often spot them at my local Farmers Market.

These peppers are typically available year round.

Check out how I use these super tasty, Blistered Shishito Peppers in this Colorful Citrus Carrot Salad.

Recipe Tip

• The peppers and quite tasty seasoned only with salt and pepper. However, there are many different seasonings you could add to them for a snack -- sesame oil, soy sauce, black vinegar, Togarashi, bonito flakes, and so on. It's fun to experiment.

This is not a sponsored post -- Melissa's Produce invited me to a media event to learn about produce trends, and I was given a variety of produce for recipe testing.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Enjoy every last one of your beautifully Blistered Shishito Peppers!

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