One Hot Pepper

I learned the meaning of the word "ornamental" when, at about three years of age, I tasted one of my grandmother's peppers.  Growing on a small bushy plant, the bright colors enticed me to pop a small fruit in my mouth where the searing heat exploded.  As she dried my tears, my grandmother explained she grew the pretty peppers for beauty, not for food.  Now that I grow peppers in my own garden, I appreciate their eye candy and respect the powerful punch of capsaicin, the spicy substance that gives peppers heat.

Omnicolor Peppers, Beautiful & HOT

I first learned of Padron peppers several years ago while flipping through the pages of a travel magazine.  A beautiful photograph of a platter of roasted peppers, deep green and liberally sprinkled with coarse salt, caught my eye.  I paused to read the article and what I read made me long to taste Padron peppers, pimientos de padron, named for the area of Northwest Spain where they grew.  Alas, I could find no source to buy Padron peppers or seeds to grow my own, but the travel writer's mouth-watering description became a gardener's mental note.  
 

Curate's Padron Peppers with Bonito Tuna

 

Last fall, while visiting Asheville, my husband and I dined at Curate, a downtown Spanish tapas restaurant owned by award winning chef Katie Button.  On the menu was Padron peppers and we were powerless to resist this dish, which arrived at the table sizzling hot, topped with Bonito tuna flakes that danced in the pepper's heat, creating the effect of dinner and show on the plate.  We eagerly settled in for a game of Capsaicin Roulette.
 
Within the past five years or so, US growers discovered the delicious appeal of Padron peppers and they are available in markets during their early summer to late autumn season.  Some cooks substitute Japanese Shishito peppers when Padrons are not available, but I predict North Carolina will prove to be an excellent growing environment for Padrons, making them readily available for restaurants and farmer's markets.  

For Excitement in the Garden, Order Padron Seeds

Padron peppers are harvested when the fruit is small, about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in length and while most peppers are mild in flavor, about ten percent pack wicked heat.  Traditionally, Padrons are roasted or pan-blistered and served with a sprinkling of coarse salt and the only way to tell if a pepper is hot or mild is to eat it, making them interesting party food.  Although a hot Padron can feel like a blowtorch blasting one's palate, the delightful mild pepper flavor balances the tightrope walk of anticipation when enjoying Padrons.  

When shopping at farmer's markets or dining in local restaurants this summer, keep an eye out for Padron peppers.  It is ridiculously simple to prepare fresh peppers,  but be sure to serve plenty of cooling beverages alongside.  Just in case . . .

Blistered Padron Peppers

Fresh Padron peppers, washed
Olive oil, about 1 tablespoon per handful of peppers
Coarse sea salt

Heat oil in cast iron skillet until smoking hot.  Add peppers and toss.  When peppers begin to blister, remove from pan and sprinkle with salt.