Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest recipes especially when you’ve run out of ideas for healthy side dishes. Blistered Tomatoes and Shishito Peppers is one of those simple recipes that is healthy, quick, easy, colorful and definitely flavorful.
This past summer our daughter introduced the family to shishito peppers. I had never heard of them even though I love to cook with a variety of peppers. Hubby and I decided to take a trip to Washington, DC to celebrate our anniversary plus drop off our youngest son to hang out with his sister in June. On our first night there we met up at a restaurant and D suggested we try the shishito peppers as an appetizer. Count us in when it comes to peppers whether they are hot, sweet or mild. Talk about love at first bite. The peppers were smoky, flavorful and mild with a few hot surprises in the bunch.
When hubby and I returned home I knew I had to find those peppers and try to recreate our wonderful appetizer. It took a few shopping trips here and there but I finally found a grocer that sold the shishito peppers. Of course I wanted to take the peppers to another level so I added blistered tomatoes to the dish because I had a garden full of cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes added an extra pop (literally) to the recipe and paired well with the peppers.
If you need a quick side dish to add to a light meal, try making Blistered Tomatoes with Shishito Peppers. You won’t be disappointed.
Blistered Tomatoes and Shishito Peppers
Ingredients:
3 – 4 shishito peppers diced
2 fresh basil leaves julienned (substitute: ¼ tsp dried basil)
1 package mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp sea salt
optional:
½ red onion sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Heat no stick frying pan over medium high heat then add olive oil. Place tomatoes and shishito peppers in the pan. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes until tomatoes begin to blister. Stirring occasionally. Add garlic, lemon juice and basil to the mixture and stir to mix well. Cook an additional 2 minutes then sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.
dmarie-dining 