Charred Shishito Peppers
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The shishito pepper has, in the last few years it seems, been popping up in dishes everywhere. They have been incorporated into cuisines, restaurant menus and in home cooked dishes all over the county. The peppers are easy to prepare, very versatile, and are usually more sweet than spicy. I read somewhere once that 1 in every 100 shishito is a hot one, but it was only recently, after eating probably hundreds of them over the past years, that my taste buds had a run in with the 1%.
Shishito peppers are quite popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, yet the inspiration for my version of the dish came to me via Houston Texas. I came about the original version in the book Cook Like a Local by Chris Shepard, who is a Houston transplant, with a deep respect for the foods of the local immigrant population. Houston, TX is home to more than 1.6 million immigrants, with nearly 6% of the city’s total population being of Southeast Asian descent. The city has truly become a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, the product of which are dishes like this sweet and spicy shishito and corn!
In this dish, the Asian influences extend beyond just the peppers with the addition of ssamjang (more on that shortly). Ssamjang which is a little sweet, slightly spicy, and packed full of flavor is easily found at any Asian grocer, and is also available online. I was originally drawn to this dish because it calls on not only my Midwestern upbringing (did someone say corn?!) but also my passion for Asian flavors.
Corn and shishito both peak in the mid to late summer, making this is an ideal side dish for a barbecue or picnic. Plus it can be served and enjoyed at room temperature, meaning it can be prepared a bit ahead of time. In my version of the dish (found below) I chose to leave half of the corn raw, to highlight its sweet and fresh peak season flavor, but also to provide a layer of texture to the dish. If you aren’t fond of raw corn (thought I urge you to try it if you haven’t) you can simply cook it all, which is what the original recipe calls for. Either way it’s going to be fantastic!
Photo by Linsey Sowa
Here is what you need:
1 cup shishito peppers (stemmed)
3 cups fresh yellow corn
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons ssamjang
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
Black sesame seeds (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Now lets put it all together!
In a large saute pan over high heat add the oil until it shimmers
Add the shishitos in a single layer and blister thoroughly on all sides (roughly 5 minutes)
Add 1 1/2 cups of the corn (reserve the rest for later) and saute for 3 minutes until lightly browned
Add the wine, ssamjang, lime juice, and butter stirring vigorously until the sauce evenly coats everything
Remove from the heat, allow to cool briefly, then add the rest of the corn.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Photo by Linsey Sowa