To fry or not to fry?
That is the question I face every pepper season in the Diva house.
Whether ’tis nobler to suffer the oil-slicked mire that gets tracked all over the kitchen, or to take arms against the sea of grease, keeping the splatter to areas dark and unseen in the depths of the broiler…. hmmm…
Broiling is easier, less messy and more hands-off, leaving you free to make an entree while your peppers soften and pop and char alone in the oven… So, for the most part, I broil.
But at least once or twice a summer, I say to heck with the mess and heat up a pan of olive oil. Because for pepper lovers, frying peppers is one of the most classic and luscious preparations. The peppers surface crisps and browns, and the insides collapse, becoming lusciously tasty. You just can’t get that same succulence under the broiler.
At our house, fried peppers are special by themselves, so I tend not to do much to embellish it beyond a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of salt.
And if this dish piques your interest but you know in your heart that you don’t want to fry, rest assured that a broiled pepper is nearly as noble. Just make sure to brush both sides generously with oil before you do it for the maximum texture.
Because with farm fresh peppers, the only wrong answer to the eternal question is to do nothing at all.
Salty Fried Peppers with Garlic and Lemon
Ingredients:
- 2 tbs. + more if desired olive oil
- 8 oz. fresh shishito peppers, left whole with stems and seeds intact, or other green chilies
- A good pinch or two of coarse sea salt plus additional for serving
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced - ½ lemon, juiced
Directions:
- Heat heavy large skillet over high heat.
- Add oil and swirl skillet to coat.
- Heat until oil is very hot and begins to shimmer, about 1 minute.
- Add whole chilies and 1 sea salt; stir constantly until chilies are blistered over half their surface, occasionally shaking skillet, about 2 minutes.
- Add garlic and continue to stir constantly until chilies are blistered all over, about 2 minutes longer (some chilies will be soft and some will be slightly firm, depending on size).
- Transfer chilies to paper towels to drain briefly, then place chilies in medium serving bowl.
- Add lemon juice; sprinkle generously with additional sea salt and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately.