Shishito Pepper Board with Cilantro Crema and Tequila Honey

Truth: I’ve had this idea for a shishito pepper board on my mind all summer. I love these peppers.

I’ve grown a plant for two years in a row and I get one pepper at a time over the course of several weeks. Not worth it. So I always end up buying a bag a Trader Joe’s when I have the opportunity.

I love sauteing them in oil with smoked sea salt, but I’ve always felt like they could be taken a step forward. This appetizer board is that step forward.

I’ll admit, this is a huge fusion of food origins! Shishito peppers are Asian peppers. Here I’ve paired them with cilantro crema and tequila honey (Mexican twist), and salami (Italian Twist).

Somehow it all works.

The idea is that you layer some crema on a piece of toasted bread, then top it with salami, a pepper, and a drizzle of tequila honey. It is one seriously good bite.

Feel free to stack in any order you choose. You also might opt for a thicker crema, like a spread. If so, stir in some sour cream and chill well.

The whole production takes minutes to prepare and spread onto a board. It can easily pass for dinner on a hot summer night.

Shishito Pepper Board

Serves about 6

Ingredients

Cilantro Crema
2/3 cup prepared Mexican crema
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Tequila Honey
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons gold tequila
1/4 teaspoon chile-lime seasoning, such as Tajin

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 ounces shishito peppers
14-ounce loaf of bread, or baguette, sliced and toasted
6 to 8 ounces sliced salami
Smoked flaked sea salt

Preparation

Place the ingredients for the crema in a single-serve blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and light green. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Warm the honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in the tequila. Remove from the heat and stir in the chile-lime seasoning. Let cool until ready to serve.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and saute for 4 to 7 minutes, until they reach your desired softness. Sprinkle with smoked salt.

To serve, pour the crema and honey into small serving bowls. Arrange on a board with the peppers, bread, and salami. Serve with smoked salt on the side for sprinkling.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free Productions, LLC and Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. Why? Well, because as they are in this post, they belong to the creator (unless otherwise stated) and that’s me. As the creator, I grant rights for use of my images and content to clients. Taking those rights without asking is a violation of copyright. Hopefully, I’ve helped clear up that gray area for you. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round-up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.