Padrón Pepper Poppers
Pimientos de Padrón are little peppers that hail from Spain, where they’re simply prepared and served as a tapa or snack. You can eat these tender peppers whole, and they go perfectly with a glass of crisp dry sherry. This preparation hardly requires a recipe, but it’s so good that it deserves the formal attention of one. If you can’t find Pimientos de Padrón, look for Italian friarielli or Japanese shishitsu peppers (often stocked at Japanese grocers). In their absence, fresh okra spears make an excellent substitute—they just take a little longer to cook. You may also want to add a sprinkle of chile flakes to replicate the occasional heat of the Padróns.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the oil in a large skillet (cast iron is best) and put the skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, add half of the peppers (see Tip) and cook, carefully stirring them occasionally, until they are blistered and have started to brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 2
Using tongs or a heatproof slotted spoon, transfer the peppers to a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle generously with salt. Fry the other peppers in the same way, adding a little more oil if the pan seems too dry.
Step 3
Serve warm or at room temperature.
tip
Step 4
Make sure the peppers are completely dry before you add them to the skillet, as even a drop of water will cause the oil to spatter vigorously.
