These wrinkled, finger-length peppers may look a little strange but that makes their surprisingly mild taste all the more exciting. We like them pan fried—just a few minutes in a cast-iron skillet with a high-smoke-point oil, salt, and pepper—but they’re even more special with a tangy lemon pepper aioli.
While these green beauties are generally on the milder side, note that about one in every 10 peppers is spicy. That’s part of the fun!
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Blistered Shishito Peppers with Lemon Pepper Aioli
Description
The tart, creamy dipping sauce is the perfect complement to freshly pan-fried peppers. You might be surprised by how their smoky taste shines through with simply a bit of heat, oil, salt, and pepper.
Ingredients
Scale
Lemon Pepper Aioli:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for garnish
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Peppers:
- 3 cups shishito peppers (or other mild pepper)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine egg yolk and mustard and pulse until they come together.
- Pour olive oil into the food processor in a slow, steady stream while continuing to pulse the sauce until it thickens.
- Add lemon juice, water, salt, and pepper and pulse to combine. Set aside. Aioli can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- In a large pan, heat cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add peppers to the pan and cook about 3-4 minutes per side, until peppers are blistered.
- Transfer cooked peppers to a serving dish and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with lemon pepper aioli and serve immediately. Add lemon wedges for squeezing over top if desired.
Who invented aioli?
| We like to think of aioli as fancy mayo, with plenty of garlic. The traditional version combines emulsified olive oil and mashed-up cloves, but the origin of the recipe isn’t known. Mentions of similar sauces from ancient Roman books date back to before 77 AD—over two centuries ago! Aiolis of all kinds pair well with kebabs, burgers, and plain-old french fries. |