Charred Shishito Peppers
Charring refers to singeing and blistering the outermost layer of a food over extremely hot heat. This makes for a bolder flavor and adds a smoky nuance. Be aware: This type of high-heat cooking creates a lot of smoke, so be sure to ventilate the kitchen, or cook (in the pan) over an outdoor grill. Shishito peppers are tender, usually mild, and enjoyed whole. Serve with our spicy sauce or squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
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Recipe Summary
Ingredients
Directions
Chef's Notes
You want to make sure the pan is extremely hot. Dense cast iron is ideal for charring: Once hot, it won't cool down when ingredients are added. Use only a small amount of oil--just enough to prevent vegetables from searing onto the pan surface and tearing when turned. Too much oil would create a barrier and cause the peppers to fry--you want them to char. Stirring would both cool down the pan and keep the peppers from making sufficient contact with the hot surface to blister and darken.
