C2
FOOD
THE ITEM
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2013
Shishito peppers: From hipster menus to your grill J.M. HIRSCH AP Food Editor
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
From top down, Black and Red, Double Chocolate and Shortcake ice cream sandwiches are served up in a bowl.
A cool, sweet take on a summer sandwich BY ALISON LADMAN Associated Press The beauty of ice cream in summer is you really don’t need to do anything to it to enjoy it. A big unadorned bowl is a simple, delicious pleasure all on its own. Still, sometimes we can’t help but tinker with perfection. So for our July Fourth celebration, we decided to take the season’s finest treat and make it even finer. We created a DIY ice cream sandwich buffet perfect for any backyard barbecue event. And we quickly discovered the possibilities were boggling. Start with the “bread” of the sandwiches. We’re going to assume you don’t want to bake your own cookies. That’s fine, because there are all sorts of choices available at the grocer. And don’t hesitate to get creative. Graham crackers, slices of cake, even cinnamon buns or doughnuts can be pressed into service. Play around with different sizes, too. Small cookies can be used for ice cream sandwich “sliders.” And don’t forget to dress your sandwiches. Smear toppings such as fudge, caramel or peanut sauce onto the cookies (much as you would when assembling a PB&J) before adding the ice cream. Then there are the many choices of fillings — ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, gelato, sherbet... We suggest serving them one of two ways. The easiest way is to soften the frozen treats slightly so they are easily scooped and spread on the “bread.” To soften them, you can either leave them at room temperature for 10 or so minutes, or microwave them for 10 to 20 seconds. Alternatively, select frozen treats packed in pint-sized cardboard tubs. Use a serrated knife to carefully slice each tub crosswise into four or five rounds, then arrange the rounds on a baking sheet. Keep the rounds frozen until ready to assemble. Just don’t let the rounds sit out at room temperature too long while people are assembling their sandwiches; the ice cream will soften quickly. We start you off with ideas for some creative combinations, but your best bet is to wander the grocery store and explore the options. When it comes to enjoying the buffet, encourage your guests to get a little crazy. Why sandwich just one variety of ice cream when you could combine two or more? And assure
them that creating totally over-thetop treats is not just appropriate, but expected. Try sandwiching chocolate ice cream between two whoopie pies with layers of peanut sauce and marshmallow spread, for example. ICE CREAM SANDWICH BUFFET INGREDIENTS
For the “bread”: Graham crackers Pound cake, sliced and toasted Chocolate wafer cookies Oatmeal raisin cookies Chocolate chip cookies Molasses cookies Sugar cookies Whoopie pies
Never had shishito peppers? You need to track them down. Right now. First, a primer, then I’ll explain why. Shishito peppers are small, thin Japanese peppers. They look a bit like a longer, thinner jalapeno. But the flavor is quite different. While jalapenos have thick flesh and an assertive heat most of us a familiar with, shishitos are thin skinned and generally sweeter than they are hot. Except when they are not. For reasons that are debated online, one out of every dozen or so shishito peppers packs a punch. Nothing that will leave you gasping for air, but enough of a bite to wake you up. During the past year or so, shishito peppers have become a darling of the restaurant scene. Nothing on the epic scale of ramps, which New York chefs in particular went a little crazy for a few years ago. And certainly nothing on the scale of the cupcake or slider. But they have been showing up on more and more menus across the country. Shishito peppers generally are served as a starter, often heaped in a bowl and munched. And the prep couldn’t be easier. They are cooked whole, usually with a splash of oil and just enough time in the skillet to lightly brown in spots. Seasonings can vary, though coarse salt is a must. In addition to having a wonderfully ad-
For the spreads: Chocolate fudge sundae sauce Caramel sauce Butterscotch topping Fruit jams, such as raspberry or strawberry Marshmallow spread Nutella For the frozen fillings: Ice cream Sorbet Frozen yogurt Sherbet Gelato SHORTCAKE SANDWICH
Spread 2 pieces of thinly sliced and toasted pound cake with strawberry jam, then fill with vanilla or strawberry ice cream. BLACK AND RED
Sandwich raspberry sorbet between chocolate wafer cookies. CREAMSICLE
Sandwich orange sherbet between vanilla sugar cookies. Add a smear of chocolate fudge sauce, if desired. S’MORE
Spread marshmallow topping on 2 graham crackers, then fill with rocky road or chocolate ice cream.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Grilled Shishito Peppers are full of flavor and ready in 15 minutes.
dictive flavor — the trinity of oil, salt and a gentle heat helps here — shishito peppers are perfect for summer. They generally are shared, making them perfect for a backyard barbecue. And because they cook quickly and require intense heat, they adapt perfectly to the grill. So here’s my effort to get shishito peppers off the restaurant menus and into your summer grilling repertoire. I’ve tarted them up a bit with chopped almonds, but feel free to leave those off. GRILLED SHISHITO PEPPERS
Start to finish: 15 minutes Servings: 4 1 pound shishito peppers, left whole 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided 1 tablespoon coarse or flake salt, such as Maldon or kosher 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds Heat a grill to high. In a large bowl, combine the peppers and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Swirl and toss
the peppers until evenly coated with the oil. Using tongs, arrange the peppers on the grill so they lay across the direction of the grates (not with them). The goal is to prevent the peppers from falling through the grates. Cook, turning often, until the peppers begin to brown and blister, about 4 to 6 minutes. Return the peppers to the bowl (no need to wipe it out). Add the remaining oil, the salt and almonds, then toss well. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately. Nutrition information per serving: 140 calories; 90 calories from fat (64 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 4 g protein; 1,450 mg sodium. J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press. He blogs at http://www. LunchBoxBlues.com and tweets at http:// twitter.com/JM_Hirsch
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Drizzle a touch of butterscotch on a soft molasses cookie, then top with lemon sorbet or sherbet, then a second molasses cookie. EDITOR’S NOTE: Alison Ladman is a recipe developer for the AP. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter. com/CrustAndCrumbCo
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