Pimientos de Padrón

Details

Category: Spanish Peppers

The history of the Pimiento de Padrón is described by Calvin Trillin in the November 1999 issue of Gourmet Magazine. According to Mr. Trillin, Herbón, whose monastery was where Franciscans apparently first tried growing the pepper seeds they’d brought back from the New World in the 18th century. This place still remains as the heart of the pimientos de Padrón belt today.” Nowadays there is a Padron Festival in the town of that name and Pimientos de Padrón are becoming one of the most popular tapas all through Spain.

Pimientos de Padrón run about 80 to 100 per pound, usually 4 to 6 restaurant servings. We sell them in 1/4 pound retail packages at our farmers markets for $6 currently. We grow the original traditional heirloom Padróns. Typically one out of about a dozen is mild to scorching hot. It is very difficult to identify the hot ones but size, odd shape, or shiny thicker looking walls is usually a good indication. Late season (October or later) or if our summer is cool for extended periods can make our production more irregular and bring the number of hot peppers up to 20% or more. We continue to plant trials of non-hot cultivars but have yet to find one as good as the original.

Best storage is in a crisper drawer or humidity controlled cold storage. Peppers will lose moisture quickly and appearance and quality will deteriorate in unprotected cold storage. Extended storage above 45 degrees or storage over 10 days to 2 weeks is likely to increase the number of hot peppers. For restaurants, servers should make customers unfamiliar with Padróns aware of the chance hot pepper.

Prepare them yourself

Ingredients:
Pimientos de Padrón
Olive Oil
Coarse Salt

Take a pan and pour enough oil to generously cover the bottom of the frying pan.

Turn the heat up on the burner. When the olive oil starts to sizzle throw the peppers in whole.

When the peppers start having small white blisters they are ready. Take the peppers out of the pan, place on plate with a paper towel.

Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Hold the pepper by the stem and BITE. Enjoy!

To Buy Our Peppers, Check the Farmer's Market Update to the Right