The use of expert witnesses in litigation is common. In fact, they can be invaluable when it comes to scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge necessary to assist the court or jury (or lawyers) in understanding the evidence or deciding a fact issue. But there are expert witnesses who, as the Texas Supreme Court recognized, “are more than willing to proffer opinions of dubious value for the proper fee.”
Not long ago, I wrote about a hearing involving a vigorously disputed legal issue. One of our opponents hired two expert witnesses — law professors — that in our opinion, were “of dubious value.” The only thing their expert opinions proved, in my opinion, was that professors’ kids need shoes too. One of them, who admitted he did not research the law or even read our motion, brazenly declared our legal position “ahistorical and countertextual,” “wholly without merit,” and “contrived and fallacious.” Mc’Scuse me? So. Many. Adjectives.
I felt disparaged. I had researched the issue for months, read scores of cases and legal articles, and carefully crafted our legal arguments on the issue. So you know what I did? I moved to strike him. And you know what the judge did? He struck him. So I may be ahistorical, but he is history.
All of which provides the inspiration for today’s recipe, which involves striking while the iron is hot — cast iron, to be specific. Shishito peppers, those wrinkly little bright green peppers, are popping up on appetizer menus everywhere. Generally mild, about 1 in every dozen or so is hot — you’ve been warned. They can be made in a flash at home, and will be gobbled up just as quickly. You don’t have to add the corn and queso fresco, but I think you’ll find they are wholly with merit if you do.
- 1 ear of corn
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ pound shishito peppers
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1 lime, halved
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Using a sharp knife, remove kernels from corn.
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shishito peppers, corn kernels, and sesame oil, and cook until shishitos are soft and blistered in spots, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with queso fresco. Squeeze lime over peppers. Serve hot, with additional lime wedges, if desired.
Can you spot the hot one?
Striking while the cast iron is hot
Don’t blink, or you’ll miss ’em!
Chips and queso, followed by fajitas, rice, and beans (all very good) provided ample fuel (feel the energy!) for an afternoon of plowing through the reams of paper filed by the parties in preparation for the hearing the next morning:
