Ingredients:
Shishito peppers
EVOO
Salt
Apparently lemon
Directions:
Put a splash of EVOO in your pan and let it get hot. Not smokey hot, but flick some water in the pan and it sizzles hot. When that's ready, put the peppers in and give them space to do their thing. Try to not let them overlap too much. The idea is that they get soft and a little charred. The internet says this will take about fifteen minutes, but for me it was more like seven. Make sure to move them around a bit so everybody gets love on all sides. When they're done, salt them to your liking. If you want to be like the internet, you can add some fresh lemon juice, but I don't think it's totally necessary. They're best served hot, so get some pals, gather around the bowl of greatness, and enjoy!
Why Shishitos are Important:
When I was a kid, I'd watch Iron Chef and be horrified when the host bit into a red bell pepper like it was an apple. I just couldn't understand why anyone would ever want to do that. Now though, I get it. And, quite frankly, if given a choice, I'd choose a red bell pepper over an apple every time. I love peppers. They're great raw or cooked. By themselves or with other tasty ingredients.
When I lived in Spain, depending on where I was, I could get padrón peppers (they're from a region in the north.) They're a pretty mild pepper, and I would never characterize them as spicy. They were one of my favorite things to order at restaurants.
About a year after being back in the United States, a restaurant opened up on my block and, while walking with my roommate, I saw folks on the patio eating peppers that looked exactly like padróns. So, I did what I do when I'm excited about food, and I asked the people if that was what they were actually eating. It wasn't.
But they knew what I was talking about, and they offered a pepper as a taste comparison. (Pro Tip: People sharing their food is a true act of love in my opinion. If someone offers you something and doesn't precede their offer with <<this is disgusting, try it>> I say go for it. Try the food!) It had a bit more spice than the padróns of Galicia, but I wasn't upset about it. The peppers I tried that day were shishitos, which are originally from East Asia. Lucky me, they grow in Iowa. And even more lucky for me, a grower sells them at the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market. I highly recommend them. 10/10.
Best,
Clarissa
PS—Peppers hate the winter because they get a little chili.
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