You probably know this already, but I’m not a vegetarian. Nor would I ever choose that particular path. If you remember I’m the one who anguished over, but ultimately decided to eat whale while I was in Norway. Which proves I’m more of a “never say never” sort of eater. It makes no sense to me to automatically exclude one food group from my dietary experience. I’m not judging, but I am hoping. I’m hoping I still have scads of unknown dining adventures in my future. Why preclude any of them with an emphatic “no thank you I don’t eat that”?
Of course, I’m not a voracious carnivore for the very same reason. I’d never alter a perfectly delightful dish of sweet peppers and roast eggplant tossed in a nutty tahini dressing just to have the bone of a dead animal to chew on.
What I’m trying to say is that I may be at the top of the food chain, but meat is rarely at the top of my shopping list. I often go for days and days without eating it. It isn’t that I put myself through contortions avoiding meat, it’s simply that I think about other things first: vegetables, fruit, beans and invariably eggs.
Eggs make a meal truly satisfying. This may be going a bit too far but right here, right now (in the mood I’m in) I’d say eggs are the ultimate comfort food. I remember in my college days, when meat was out of the budget, that I could survive an entire week on a 12-pack of beer and a dozen eggs.
Blistered Shishito Peppers with Fried Egg
I’m still a big fan of eggs. I’m glad they made it back on the ever-changing healthy list. However, my tastes have evolved. These days I’m enamored by vegetables that were not available to me in my fraternity days. Top of that list: shishito peppers.
It was not that long ago when I didn’t even know the word shishito. I remember some expensive skin care from the 1980s with a similar sounding name. But I can’t imagine I ever considered “blistered” and “facial” in the same sentence.
Then one day I stumbled into a random Japanese restaurant on Ventura Blvd. I was served a plate of blistered shishito peppers. They were topped with a big sprinkle of bonito flakes. I remember being fascinated by the way the dried bonito danced and popped atop those piping hot blistered shishito peppers. Soon after blistered shishito peppers became an obsession.
It didn’t take long for me to bring these peppers home and add an egg. The only thing missing now is the bone to chew on. GREG
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon hot mustard
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon lightly toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 clove garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1 (2‑inch piece) fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil (divided)
- 4 large eggs
- 4 cup fresh shishito peppers
- 8 radishes (thinly sliced, optional)
- 2 teaspoon black seaweed seasoning mix (nori komi furiake)
Directions
Make the sauce: In a blender or mini-food processor purée soy sauce, vinegar, honey, mustard, sesame oil, white sesame seeds, garlic, ginger, and black pepper until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in ½ cup canola oil until sauce is emulsified; set aside.
Fry the eggs: Warm a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add ¼ cup oil, then crack the eggs into skillet taking care to keep the yolks intact. Raise heat to medium-high and cook the eggs to your liking while basting the whites occasionally with the oil in the pan to help them set up.
Blister the peppers: Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a separate large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, but not quite smoking, add the peppers, tossing occasionally, until they begin to blister and char on all sides.
To serve: Divide the warm peppers and radish slices (if using) between four plates. Top each with a fried egg, a drizzle of the prepared sauce and a good sprinkling of roasted black seaweed seasoning. Serve immediately.
We eat eggs often over here and I must say, that must be the most perfect looking fried egg ever. How lovely to have them with the shishito peppers. Coincidentally, we had those as part of dinner tonight — well, not the kids, and not with the eggs. Yours turned out much better, I can tell. Must have been so delicious with all of those deliciously blended Asian ingredients!
I check back on our meals every once and a while and gauge how much meat we are eating. Sometimes a lot, and sometimes none at all. I guess I don’t want to be predictable! Even when in a meaty phase, I would eschew the carnivore-menu for this dish! Only once in a while do I see shishito peppers for sale here. Next time, this will be had.
That’s an interesting combination! (How dare you eat a whale. Did you not watch Star Trek IV?) I love eggs, and don’t eat enough of them as far as I’m concerned, and this dish looks like a great way to get to it1
Love the simplicity, mix of flavors. Addition of fried egg: wonderful!
I am totally with you Greg, there is just too much deliciousness in the world to say “I don’t eat that.” I did think about becoming a vegetarian at one point when I was very young but decided it was far too much work to eat the right combination of vegetable proteins to make up for the single meat protein, I guess I was just too lazy. Years later, my decision not to become vegetarian was validated when my BFF’s cousin stopped being vegetarian because he was anemic and in his words, “it was too hard to get the nutrition he was missing by not eating meat!”
I’m not lying when I say I had never heard of this pepper before January 7 to be exact (I snapped a pic of it on my iphone so I don’t forget). It is very strange how things happen that way. I understand that about 1 in 10 are moderately spicy so they would definitely make a delightful bed below the fried egg. Personally, I adore putting poached eggs in salads (makes the dressing creamy when you bust the yolk open), in soups etc. It’s such a lovely and simple dish. Now I must find me some of these unique peppers because I can’t wait to try them.
Only last year did I enjoy my first shishitos–now totally hooked. Looking forward to making this recipe!
I am completely inspired to buy shishito peppers now. Yum.
I was a vegetarian for 12 years and a vegan fo 2 years. Now I eat what looks good to me, including almost all meat. There are some exceptions, I don’t eat horse. It was on the menu in Italy .Once, I was served pigeon in a very expensive French restaurant but I couldn’t eat it , don’t ask me why ?
As soon as I see shishito peppers at the market I get them and sauté them , put them in a container and eat them throughout the week. They are delicious and so is your recipe.