The Pembrooke’s Shishito Peppers

Travel provides stimulation for the artist. Fashion designers traverse the globe seeking inspiration for collections, while chefs explore the cuisine of different cultures, lest they find their creativity stifled. My recent holiday spent in Hawaii challenged me to reform the recipes I have on repeat, as island-inspired ingredients beseeched me to call upon them. Incorporating flavors in dishes that don’t usually employ them can create culinary magic.

Shishito peppers became de rigueur on menus years ago. For me, they invoke the memory of the roasted peppers from my youth. My grandmother charred plump red bell peppers on the gas burner, turning them with her bare hand until they blackened. Their powerful sweet smell permeated the house, and I watched fascinated as she pulled the blistered skin away from the flesh with a silver fork.

The unexpected Asian flavors elevate the shishito peppers in this recipe. There is no better pleasure in the arts as when new ideas collide with tradition.

The Pembrooke Shishito Peppers

Coconut Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup ponzu

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk

1 tablespoon honey

1 squeeze of fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons thinly-sliced shallots

1 tablespoon finely-chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Can be prepared a day or two ahead. Whisk before serving.

Peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 package shishito peppers

Pickled ginger

1  tablespoon finely-sliced scallions

1 tablespoon finely-chopped cilantro 

White sesame seeds

Heat the olive oil and the sesame oil in a frying pan. Cook the peppers on medium heat until they are slightly charred and the skin blisters, about ten minutes.

Place peppers on a plate and top with scallions and cilantro and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with the pickled ginger and dipping sauce.