Pan-Fried Peppers with Lemon, Garlic, and Sea Salt

This fun appetizer would be great served with cold beer. Keep in mind that the heat of the peppers varies widely. Some are mild, while others pack quite a punch.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 8 ounces fresh shishito peppers,* left whole with stems and seeds intact, or other green chiles (such as Padrón)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt plus additional for serving
• 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• *Shishito peppers are slender green Japanese chiles up to four inches long and about 1/2 inch wide. The peppers can be found at some farmers' markets, at Japanese markets, and at melissas.com.
  
  

Preparation

• Heat heavy large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and swirl skillet to coat. Heat until oil is very hot and begins to shimmer, about 1 minute. Add whole chiles and 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt; stir constantly until chiles are blistered over half their surface, occasionally shaking skillet, about 2 minutes. Add thinly sliced garlic and continue to stir constantly until chiles are blistered all over, about 2 minutes longer (some chiles will be soft and some will be slightly firm, depending on size). Transfer chiles to paper towels to drain briefly, then place chiles in medium serving bowl. Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice; sprinkle generously with additional coarse sea salt and toss to coat. Serve immediately. 4 Servings