I haven’t done an entry for Kalyn’s Kitchen Weekend Herb Blogging for a while, and seeing that I’m at a Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference at CIA Greystone, I thought veggies would be an apropos focus for the end of the week.
Specifically . . . my fabulous patch of Padron Peppers, which have been a bit scant all summer long but are suddenly producing enough to make a delightful little tapa a couple times a week.
I first came across Padron Peppers at Bar Cesar in Berkeley (in fact, if you check out their web page, you’ll see a photo strikingly similar to mine here). Their Pimientos de Padron were meaty little suckers, seared to blistering in hot olive oil and then dressed with nothing more than a pinch of coarse salt. I was smitten. I was driven to distraction trying to find them . . . at the store, at the farmers’ market. No luck. So I finally resorted to buying seeds (told you I was smitten).
Since then, and it’s been several years now, I’ve coaxed along a decent sized patch of Pimientos de Padron every summer and, as much as I consider myself an adventurous one in the kitchen, I’ve never swerved from preparing them exactly as Bar Cesar does. When you’ve got perfection with your Padron, why bother?
Check out this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging on Cook (Almost) Anything . . . At Least Once . . . Haalo has gorgeous photography, so I’m sure we’re in for a treat!
8 Comments
And how often dod you get the hot one? I’m told, in Spain, anyway, it’s about 1 out of every 10.
They always looks so good… but I know my luck!
Ah yes, I have heard stories about these peppers, but I haven’t tried them. I’d probably have to grow my own too, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them here.
I tried padron peppers in London for the first time this spring, and really liked them! I liked them so much that a fellow foodblogging friend then posted and sent me some to Estonia (they’re not available here). I’m hoping to grow some myself next year.
And your version is exactly the right way for enjoying them!
Good question KatieZ . . . I’ve read that some people call Padron’s the “Russian Roulette” pepper. None of mine seemt to be that hot though . . . or maybe I just follow it with a sip of wine too quickly ;-).
Kalyn and Pille . . . I hope to enjoy a batch of these next year with you guys once they show up in all of our gardens!
HI there, thanks so much for your commet - great blog!! We have our real gray, cold day today and all I wanted for lunch at work was oatmeal too!!
Yum. Yum. Must give this a go.
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