Bloodline Stuffed Shishito Pepper Recipe

Prepare peppers

Wash shishito peppers and pat dry. Using a small paring knife, make a lengthwise slit down one side of each pepper and remove any large seeds if present; leave stem intact to help handle the pepper while cooking.

Toss peppers with 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a bowl until evenly coated. Set aside while you make the filling so oil penetrates the skin.

In a medium bowl, combine 250 g ground pork, 75 g soft cream cheese, 30 g panko breadcrumbs, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 stalk finely chopped scallion, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp gochujang, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 egg yolk.

Mix thoroughly with clean hands or a spoon until the mixture is cohesive and slightly sticky. Taste a small bit by cooking a teaspoon in a skillet if you want to adjust seasoning (add a pinch more soy or gochujang for spice/salt). Chill the filling 10 minutes if it feels too soft to handle.

Using a small spoon or piping bag fitted with a medium round tip, fill each slit pepper with about 1–1.5 teaspoons of the filling. Do not overfill — peppers should be well-stuffed but not bursting. Press the filling gently so it adheres to the inner wall.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle (about 1 tbs) olive oil and when shimmering, arrange the stuffed peppers seam-side down in a single layer, leaving small gaps so they won't steam. Cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes until the filling browns and the pepper skin blistered.

Flip peppers carefully using tongs so the seam side faces up. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid for 3–4 minutes to ensure ground pork cooks through. Uncover and continue to cook 1–2 minutes to dry the filling surface and re-crisp the pepper skin. Internal temperature of the filling should reach 71°C / 160°F for pork.

While peppers finish, whisk together 2 tbs tamari, 1 tsp rice vinegar, and 1 tsp honey in a small bowl to make the dipping/finishing sauce. Taste and adjust balance — add more honey for sweetness or more tamari for salt.

Transfer peppers to a serving plate. Spoon a little of the sauce lightly over the stuffed side of the peppers or serve sauce on the side for dipping.

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and 1 tbs chopped micro cilantro/parsley over the peppers. Garnish with optional thinly sliced chile if you want additional heat.