Grilled Shishito Peppers with Honey, Lime and Miso

It’s been only a few weeks since my last post, but it feels like longer. The family and I took a long overdue vacation. We soaked up rays from the Mexico sun, swam until our fingers shriveled and overate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A few pounds heavier, I’ve been afraid to put on my blue work pants for fear that they won’t fit any longer. But now that I’ve been back for a week, it’s time to get back to posting.

I considered a few different recipes today, but because I also spent the majority of this weekend away, I needed something that could be put together rather quickly. While checking out the new Trader Joe’s in downtown Austin I grabbed a bag of shishito peppers. Because of the thin wall and skin, these peppers cook super fast and were the perfect choice for this week’s post. When grilled over high heat, shishtos blister in only a matter of minutes. As they cook steam will cause the peppers to expand and sometimes burst. While this doesn’t affect taste, you can prevent the peppers from popping by punching a small hole for steam to escape.

The finger-sized peppers are a perfect snack food or appetizer. Simply grab one by the stem and take a bite. Originating in Japan, the peppers are mostly mild but one or two per 6 oz. bag will pack some heat. The simplest way to finish shishitos is to sprinkle on a little salt, but I found the combination of honey, lime and miso to be more interesting. I also garnished mine with a pinch of togarashi, a Japanese spice consisting of spicy red pepper, orange peel, sesame seeds, sea weed and ginger.