Blistered Corn + Shishito Pepper Nachos

Have you ever had shishito peppers before? I've seen them around in the food world for the last few years but I've only recently started experimenting with them myself. They're a pretty fun little pepper to cook up! They're not too spicy and they are delicious simply sizzled in a hot pan with a little oil for a few minutes then sprinkled with some flaky salt! They are great like that as a little side dish or appetizer as is but I decided why not chop them up and add them to some nachos? So that's what we've got going on here. And since sweet, Summer corn is at its peak right now, too I thought we should take full advantage and blister up a couple ears to add to the party. The blistered corn and peppers add a nice smoky flavor to the nachos which come together pretty quickly. I urge you NOT to skip the pickled red onion, either! They are ridiculously simple to make and add such a delicious tangy punch to the gooey cheese situation. And you'll have leftover to keep in the fridge and add to whatever you want! Hope you enjoy these and let me know if you give them a try!

serves 4-6

1 9 oz bag tortilla chips (white or yellow are both great)
2 ears of corn, shucked and cleaned
3 oz shishito peppers, washed
avocado oil (or olive oil)
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c pepper jack cheese, grated
1 c monterey jack cheese, grated
pickled red onions (recipe below)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
2-3 medium radishes, washed and thinly sliced
handful cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
handful fresh cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
a few dollops of sour cream
lime wedges, to serve

pickled red onions
1 medium/large red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 c vinegar (such as apple cider or white wine)
3/4 c warm water
1 T Himalayan pink salt
1 T organic granulated cane sugar

make the pickled onions
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, and heat until warm but not boiling and sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the onions to to a large jar and pour the brine over the top of them, using a spoon to push all the onions down, being sure they’re fully submerged in the brine. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Keep for about a month in the fridge.

blister peppers + corn
Preheat oven to 375 F. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. While it's heating up, evenly spread the chips out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside. Add in the corn. Allow to char for a few minutes on each side, turning every few minutes until all sides have a nice char. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Add a drizzle of avocado oil to the pan (just enough to coat the bottom) and add in the shishito peppers and cook for a few minutes on one side until they blister and a good char develops, then flip and char on the other side. Remove from heat.

assemble nachos
The corn should be cooled slightly now and cool enough to handle. Stand the ears up on their ends and run your knife down the side, cutting the kernels off the cob. Slice the peppers up into 1/2 inch rings, leaving a few whole for garnish. Sprinkle the cheeses over the chips evenly in a single layer. Sprinkle over the black beans and the corn kernels. Sprinkle the shitshito pepper rings over the top then add the reserved whole peppers on top as garnish. Pop the baking sheet into the oven for about 7-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with pickled red onion, avocado and radish slices, sprinkle of cilantro, tomatoes, dollops of sour cream, and a squeeze of lime. Enjoy!