Shishito Peppers (Kkwarigochu)

I was at my local Farmer's Market with a neighbor and she asked if I had ever had shishito peppers.  I told her I was familiar with them and that they seemed to have recently burst on the culinary scene but that I had never eaten them.  They are popular as a side dish in Korean cooking.  She said she roasts hers with a little olive oil and sprinkles them with sea salt.  I looked at a few recipes on-line and decided to blister them in a cast iron skillet.  I tossed the peppers in a little canola oil then put them in a piping hot cast iron skillet and cooked until they were soft with a nice char on the skin.  I sprinkled a little pink Himalayan sea salt on them and what a delicacy!

Broccoli Sesame Stir-Fry

Sesame seeds and sesame oil are used extensively in Asian cuisines and I love it's rich, nutty flavor.  This simple side dish using both the oil and the seeds is so easy to make and one of my favorite ways to enjoy broccoli.  The broccoli is steamed for about six minutes then stir-fried with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds for just a few minutes, then tossed with a splash of soy sauce.