OTTAWA -- Looking for a lighter appetizer for this holiday season? The popular Shishito pepper is now available from Ontario producers. The mild peppers are the perfect deep green colour to enhance your festive menu. Amazing tossed with a little salt or add some seasonings to dress them up. Use stem to pick up peppers...eat the entire pepper...discard the tough stem.
Note: This cheese mixture is a delicious topping to pasta as well!
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 4-5 minutes
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tbsp minced green onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp finely chopped parsley or spinach
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp crushed pink peppercorn (optional)
- 1 package (227g) whole Shishito Peppers (stems attached), washed and dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt , to taste (we love Maldon salt)
Directions:
In small bowl, combine cheese,onion, olive oil, parsley, zest & pink peppercorns; set aside until peppers are cooked.
In a medium bowl, toss whole peppers with olive oil. This can be done well in advance of preparation/serving.
Over high heat, preheat a heavy bottom 12-inch frying pan (cast iron is ideal) until water drops sizzle and evaporate. Immediately toss in whole peppers (and turn on your fan.)
Let peppers sizzle and blacken (about 2 minutes) then flip and allow the other sides to blacken as well (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle with salt & cheese mixture.
Place pan on heat safe board and enjoy.
