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Blistered Shishito Peppers and Peaches with Manchego, Soppressata, and Pickled Lemon

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Ingredients

Shishito Peach Salad

  • 250 g shishito peppers about 2 cups
  • 150 g peaches medium diced or gem sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 15 ml neutral oil such as algae oil (1 tbsp)
  • Juice of ½ lemon or to taste
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 45 g shaved Manchego cheese about ½ cup
  • 30 g sliced soppressata about ¼ cup
  • 40 g corn nuts about ⅓ cup
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • Pickled lemon zest for serving

Pickled Lemon Zest

  • Lemon Zest
  • Zest from 5 large lemons about 1½ cups

Pickling Liquid

  • 720 ml rice wine vinegar 3 cups
  • 6 g sumac 1 tbsp
  • 5 g red chili flakes 1 tbsp
  • 8 g coriander seed 1 tbsp
  • 8 g whole black peppercorns 1 tbsp
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 12 g brown sugar 1 tbsp
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 240 g ice 1 cup

Instructions

How to Make the Pickled Lemon Zest

  • Using a channel knife or citrus stripper, remove the zest from the lemons, creating long strips of peel. If you don't have a channel knife, use a vegetable peeler and slice the peel into thin strips.
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the lemon zest, boil briefly, then strain. Repeat this blanching process five times to remove most of the bitterness while preserving the bright citrus flavor.
  • Transfer the blanched lemon zest to a heatproof container.
  • Combine the rice wine vinegar, sumac, red chili flakes, coriander seed, black peppercorns, bay leaf, brown sugar, and kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer until the sugar dissolves.
  • Remove the pickling liquid from the heat and stir in the ice to cool it slightly. Pour the pickling liquid over the lemon zest, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

Make the Shishito Peach Salad

  • Heat a large cast iron or carbon steel skillet over high heat. Add enough neutral oil to lightly coat the pan.
  • Once the skillet is smoking hot, add the shishito peppers and cook until blistered and lightly charred on all sides.
  • Season the peppers with kosher salt and fresh lemon juice, then remove the skillet from the heat.
  • Immediately add the peaches and gently toss them with the warm shishito peppers. The residual heat will slightly warm the peaches while keeping them fresh and juicy.
  • Transfer the shishito peach salad to a serving platter.
  • Top with the sliced soppressata, shaved Manchego cheese, corn nuts, and pickled lemon zest.
  • Finish with plenty of freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.

Notes

For the best blistered shishito peppers, avoid overcrowding the skillet. Cooking in batches allows the peppers to char instead of steam, creating deeper flavor and better texture.
Add the peaches after removing the pan from the heat. The residual warmth softens the fruit slightly while preserving its fresh, juicy bite.
Manchego is an excellent pairing because its nutty, buttery flavor complements both the sweet peaches and smoky shishito peppers without overpowering them.
Soppressata adds richness and spice, but any high-quality dry-cured salami will work well. For a vegetarian version, replace it with toasted Marcona almonds or pistachios.
The pickled lemon zest is worth making in a larger batch. It keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator and adds bright acidity to seafood, grilled vegetables, sandwiches, salads, roasted chicken, pasta, and even avocado toast.