Last summer, I had the pleasure of spending a weekend in Nantucket celebrating my friend’s upcoming nuptials. There were so many things to love about the restaurant scene in Nantucket, but my favorite dinner experience had to be at Nautilus. The calamari was out of this world, as was the crudo of the night and the blue crab fried rice. Between several of their more complex plates, the shishito peppers really shined. It struck me how simple the preparation was, how healthy they were as a bar snack or appetizer, and that — unlike the insanely delicate presentation of the calamari — I could probably recreate these at home!
I’m happy to report that with a sack of shishito peppers in hand from Trader Joe’s, and a little guidance from Take Two Tapas, I have now successfully recreated these tasty bites at home. Grab a bottle of ponzu from the grocery, and you’ll be well on your way to this easy appetizer. These are so fast that you can totally whip them up on a weeknight. Weeknight appetizers! What!
I used my cast iron skillet to get a nice char on the peppers, but you can use a nonstick skillet as well. If you don’t have sesame oil on hand, you can use avocado oil or canola oil.
I hope you’ll give this easy appetizer a try! If you make it, be sure to tag us on instagram @fridgetofork, and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Print
Blistered Shishito Peppers with Ponzu Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
Description
Shishito peppers are blistered in a hot cast iron skillet and dipped in ponzu with ginger and scallions in this super easy, healthy appetizer! This recipe is adapted from Take Two Tapas.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. shishito peppers
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/3 cup ponzu
- 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1 scallion, whites and greens thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat your cast iron skillet on medium-high.
- In the meantime, wash and dry the shishito peppers. Toss with the tablespoon of sesame oil.
- Add to the skillet and cook at high heat for 4-5 minutes, turning the peppers as each side becomes blistered and slightly charred.
- In a small bowl for dipping, combine the ponzu with the minced ginger, sliced scallion, and sesame seeds if you’re using them.
- Serve the peppers hot with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
If you like some heat, drizzle a bit of chili oil onto your peppers.
