Padrón Pepper

• Mild and nutty: When cooked, most Padrón peppers have a sweet, nutty, and earthy flavor.
• Unpredictable heat: About one in ten Padrón peppers is hot, with a heat level comparable to a jalapeño, while the others are very mild.
• Scoville scale: On the Scoville scale, Padrón peppers typically range from 500 to 2,500 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The hotter ones tend to be older or grown under more stressful conditions

• Blistered and fried: The most traditional method involves pan-frying the peppers in olive oil over high heat until the skin blisters and chars. The stems are left on for easy handling while eating.
• Seasoning: After frying, the peppers are transferred to a plate and generously sprinkled with flaky or coarse sea salt. Some recipes suggest a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil at the end.
• Other uses: While best fresh, they can also be grilled or roasted, served alongside other tapas, or pickled for later use.

• 2–4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Instructions

• Rinse the peppers and pat them completely dry.

1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as cast iron) over high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until it is very hot but not smoking.
2. Add the peppers in a single layer. Cook for about 30 seconds without moving them, allowing the skin to blister and char on one side.
3. Flip and shake the peppers, cooking for another 1–2 minutes, or until blistered on all sides and slightly collapsed.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the peppers to a serving plate.
5. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.