Blistered Shishito Peppers with Lemon Ginger Aioli + Cashews

Want to know what I just can't stop eating lately?

Well then, you've come to the right place. It's these shishito peppers. No, really. I'm OBSESSED with them. I mean, I was already obsessed with shishito peppers to begin with, but adding lemon ginger aoili and cashews takes them to a whole other level that I really can't resist.

With Cinco de Mayo less than a month away, I figured now was as good a time as any to share this recipe. While the peppers are more of a Japanese dish than Mexican, I find they pair perfectly with both kinds of cuisine, and especially well with margaritas (Hint, hint ;D).

And don't let the long name fool you. This recipe is super easy to make. I hadn't set out with the intention of creating a simple recipe, but I'm certainly not mad about it (and based on the feedback to last week's recipe post, I don't think any of you will be either!). Then again, that's one of the reasons why I love shishito peppers so much. You really don't need anything more than a little oil and salt to make them taste good (but a few additional ingredients don't hurt ;D). And while this certainly isn't a Trader Joe's hack recipe, you can actually find everything you need for these at Trader Joe's (yet another thing I hadn't set out to intentionally do). You can also typically find shishito peppers at farmer's markets, and I often see them in bulk by the mushrooms in grocery stores. But let's be real, where to get them isn't the point. However, wherever, just make sure you get yourself some shishito peppers....then get some more (because TRUST ME, you can never have enough)...and make these blistered shishito peppers with lemon ginger aoili and cashews as soon as you possibly can. Like yesterday...or right now...

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Who else is a fan of shishito peppers? Here's hoping I'm not the only one...

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Blistered Shishito Peppers with Lemon Ginger Aoili + Cashews

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces shishito peppers

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil

• Sea salt

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise

• Juice of half a lemon, plus extra for garnishing

• 1-1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger 

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

• 1/4 cup cashews, roughly chopped (I LOVE using the thai chili ones from Trader Joe's!)

• Maldon sea salt flakes

• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat, add the sesame oil and peppers. Sprinkle with sea salt then toss to combine. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peppers are slightly browned and blistered.

2. While the peppers are cooking, add the mayonnaise, lemon juice and ginger to a small bowl. Stir to combine.

3. Remove the peppers to a serving platter. Squeeze a little lemon juice on top, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped cashews, sea salt flakes, basil and drizzle with the lemon ginger aoili. Serve with remaining aoili on the side (for dipping).

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