roasted shishito pepper risotto

Roasted Shishito Pepper Risotto

Roasted shishito pepper risotto combines the delicious sweet and spicy kick of shishito peppers to your favorite parmesan risotto. Don’t let the word “pepper” scare you away. The heat of these peppers is minimal, but the overall flavor is huge. The rich parmesan risotto mellows out the spice of the shishito peppers leaving you with a flavorful side dish you will want for every occasion.

shishito pepper

What are Shishito Peppers?

Shishito peppers are a sweet East Asian pepper that have a heat level comparable to a jalapeno pepper. While they can turn red, they are typically harvested while still green. You are looking for bright green firm peppers around two inches to five inches long.

They can be cooked a variety of ways, but also eaten raw. When raw they have a sweet flavor and crisp crunch similar to a bell pepper.

Japanese shishito peppers are more commonly found, but you can always use Spanish padron peppers if that is what you have available to you. They have the same sweet and spicy flavor you are looking for in this dish.

Roasting your Shishito Peppers.

Spread your shishito peppers out in a single layer on a broiler proof baking sheet. Broil the peppers until they are lightly blistered and just starting to soften. It helps to toss the peppers occasionally to make sure they are blistered evenly. Total broiling time is roughly 5-8 minutes.

Making your Parmesan Risotto

Start by cooking your bacon in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until crisp. Then transfer your bacon to a paper towel to drain and save for later. Toss in your chopped shallot and garlic to the bacon fat and cook until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add rice and stir with a wooden spoon to coat.

Stir in your wine and simmer until the liquid is evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next. You may need to add an additional cup of water. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter and roasted shishito pepper puree until combined.

roasted shishito pepper risotto

Roasted Shishito Pepper Risotto

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Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Keyword: risotto, roasted shishito pepper, shishito pepper, side dish
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Cassandra

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces fresh shishito peppers
  • 4 slices of bacon chopped
  • 1 large shallot finely chopped
  • 2 cloves chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2/3 cups grated Parmesan

Instructions

  • Turn your oven on to broil
  • Spread your shishito peppers out in a single layer on a broiler proof baking sheet. Broil the peppers until they are lightly blistered and just starting to soften. It helps to toss the peppers occasionally to make sure they are blistered evenly. Total broiling time is roughly 5-8 minutes.
  • Cook bacon in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until crisp. Using a slotted spoon transfer bacon to a paper towel to drain. Add the shallot and garlic to the bacon fat and cook until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add rice and stir with a wooden spoon to coat.
  • Add your wine and simmer until the liquid is evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next. You may need to add an additional cup of water. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter and roasted shishito pepper puree until combined.
  • Serve warm with your crispy bacon on top.

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