Heat up some olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Throw in the Padrón peppers and let them get a little black on each side and wait until the peppers kind of shrivel up. Sprinkle with good flakey sea salt. And serve. I know, right, you think I am pulling your leg… This is one of the easiest hot appetizers I have ever made in my life. Served alongside other tapas, they were really quite an eye opener. I am so happy I picked them up at the grocery without the slightest clue what to do with them.
The blackened peppers have a soft texture, with just a bit of bite from the skin. They are surprisingly flavorful (I always thought of chilies as having heat, less flavor) and these ones had a real kick to them. Between mouthfuls of sliced serrano ham or prosciutto, some cheese and other pica-pica’s, these were perfect.
19 Responses
Would you know if they are the same peppers as what (we) IloKanos use in pinakbet? Or at least originated from them? I remember being able to watch a certain food show years back when (Spanish) tapas was virtually yet unknown to me, and they were featuring classic Spanish dishes. A dish of Padrón peppers (simply roasted with olive oil like this same dish you’re featuring, if I recall correctly) was on the menu, and when I got to the part when they were preparing it, I was like “Hey, those look like the sili we cook in bagoong, or add to pinakbet…” Of course, it was easy to search what Padrón peppers were, but there’s virtually no record about those Ilokano sili that looks like Padrón peppers… We do grill/roast said peppers too though, sans the olive oil and salt, and I like them eaten/paired with grilled meats and fishes, dipped in baggoong or patis. Scrumptious. :D
Kron, if I am not mistaken, the Ilocano peppers that are darkish green that I know, are more elongated, not as “chubby”… but then again, I have only been to Ilocos once. I suspect many peppers would be nice sauteed like this…
padron peppers! grew them last year in my garden and same thing, i just cooked them as what my spanish colleague taught me, cooked it with olive oil and salt. my! it was delicious and a big surprise, some were subtle in heat and some were extra hot. my friend told me that all i gave her were extra hot ones, when she’s supposed to be used to eating padron peppers.
we found out that roasted peppers really make a difference when doing calderetta, afritada, mechado etc.
Padron peppers!! Love these! Didn’t know they were available here though…must make a trip to S&R soon. I love them just this way :) Excited!!!
Pimientos de Padron is part of my standard tapas fare. I have eaten so many of these that I am bracing myself for the (now highly statistically probable) event that I will get to bite into that legendary spicy one in a bushel. A speciality grocery near my flat sells them on occasion, when there’s supply from Galicia, for a hefty sum.
at home (Ilocos Norte), some members of the family love roasted green chilis (looks like the kind used for sinigang and pakbet). an aunt would slice fresh tomatoes, sprinkle some calamansi juice, a spoonful or two of the best fish bagoong (wala pa po akong nakikita dito sa metro na ganun kabango at kasarap) over the freshly roasted gree chilis. i can still remember the smell and the taste, ang sarap! those chilis were not that hot at all they’re a bit sweet actually. :)
Where did you get them? I didn’t know they were available here.
Char, S&R grocery had them, perhaps other groceries carry it too…
Pits, Manila, do you just add the roasted peppers (or use them as garnish) before serving the caldereta, mechado, etc?
Wow MM, I just tried this and truly one of the best side dishes I’ve had.. I had them with grilled fish and they were spectacular!
We had bowls of these Pimientos de Padron as preludes to hearty Gallegan meals in the many Galician venues that dot Madrid and Barcelona recently. Accompany with chilled Verdejo white wine from the soils of (also around) Galicia.
The Ilocano version which are more elongated and as mild as the Padron are never fried (in the household of my youth) but stringed in bamboo skewers and charcoal roasted. Then they are accompanied as dip with bagoong and a squeeze of calamansi/ lime.
Love these!!! a must appetiser whenever we dine in our favorite tapas bar. Luckily we were able to buy some and cook it ourselves-https://www.flickr.com/photos/diebuschis/5535101889/ . How you cooked it Marketman was very right, one can never get wrong! A simple and pleasurable start for the palate! Ü p.s. they are also very good tucked into bread and scrap the remaining oil with pandesal or brown bread!!! Cheers!
These peppers look irresistably delicious! In my family we stuff these peppers for tapas too :-)
Stuff some cheese and they would be divine! Similar to jalapeno poppers without the breading…
Hola MarketMan, I am back in Spain again and my crew just love Padron but as they do it here in Spain , crush some garlic, do not peel.. add them to the pan.
Was just reading the Serious Eats website, and they mention a the Japanese Shishito pepper which seems almost identical. Thought I’d mention it as it was a bit of synchronicity.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2012/06/japanese-vegetables-shiso-wasabi-maitake-shisito-slideshow.html#show-251659
Jim, thanks for that link, and yes, how odd that they specifically mention that one in ten are also hot, the same thing that folks say about the padron peppers… perhaps they are related, though the shape of these ones were distinctly bulkier at the stem end than the ones in the photo on the Japanese peppers…
Shalimar, thanks for that tip, will definitely do that the next time I find and cook padrons… Enjoy Spain! :)