Shallow Fried Shishito Peppers with Smokey Parmesan and Charred Lemon

Vegetables are a problem in my house. A BIG problem. And this is because

every single person in my family has their own idea of what a.) a good vegetable is b.) how that vegetable should be cooked and c.) just how many times a week one can be served that same vegetable without losing their ever loving minds.

Shishito Peppers are generally smaller, longer and skinnier than Padron Peppers, and have a thinner skin. Many people use them interchangeably but there are some notable differences.

Padron Peppers can be much larger than Shishitos, with thicker skin and stems. You’re also more likely to get a spicy pepper (about 1 in every 5 Padron Peppers will be spicy, as opposed to about 1 in every Shishito Peppers will be spicy).

Me? I love any and all vegetables. Any way, any day. My 14-year-old, Keira, is my closest ally here. She’s open-minded, for the most part, until, out of nowhere, she changes her mind—without warning or explanation. Just when I think I’ve found a dish the two of us can share, she decides she’s done with it, leaving me to finish off a sad tub of roasted eggplant that no one else will touch. But compared to the rest of the household, she’s the least of my problems.

Nick, my husband, is next. The vegetables he loves, he loves - the man can eat sauteed mushrooms every night, will devour an entire artichoke plant on his own, and will enthusiastically go back for seconds of asparagus and broccoli - just as long as they’re roasted - if they’re steamed, forget it. Any other vegetable, he only tolerates. He will politely shuffle these vegetables around his plate, masking their presence with copious amounts of hot sauce in order to choke them down.

Watch The Video Here:

Then, there’s Kelsey, my 11 year old. She is the real wildcard when it comes to eating things from the ground and it’s HER that makes any trip through the produce section feel futile and like an exercise in repetition. Asparagus, broccoli, edamame, bok choy - rinse and repeat. So the veggie common denominators for our family of four are few and far between. Like I said, big vegetable problems here in the Eicken household.

But now, enter in Shishito pepper season, which we are right smack dab in the middle of.

This is the rare moment in time when I know, without a doubt, that everyone in my family will not only tolerate the vegetable of the day, but actually be excited about it. My family LOVES shishito peppers - crispy and charred, and with just a touch of flakey salt, they disappear faster than I can fish them out of the sizzling oil.

So it only seemed fitting that this week on The Kitchen Counter I would introduce you to our favorite way of enjoying these little bites from heaven: Shallow Fried Shishito Peppers with Smokey Parmesan and Charred Lemon.

Even though these peppers really don’t need much of anything to be irresistible, this version adds a little extra flair with a dusting of Parmesan that’s been kissed by smoked paprika. The charred lemon, meanwhile, brings complexity - it’s natural sugars get deeply caramelized which adds a smokey and bitter element while mellowing out some of the acidity - the perfect complement to the richness of the oil-slicked peppers.

I also tackle one of the most common issues when it comes to frying shishito peppers - the oil. I’m a big fan of shallow frying, using just enough oil to get the job done without leaving a vat of oil to dispose of afterward. For this recipe, we use