Shishito & Padron: A Pair of Peppers

Shishito Pepper

 Pimientos de Padron

First encountered by me a few years ago at Bar Quim in the Boqueria in Barcelona, fried Pimientos de Padrón quickly became a favorite. My friend, Joe Bavuso, picked some padrónes along with some shishito peppers, a Japanese variety very similar in flavor, texture and occasional heat to padrónes at the Union Square Greenmarket in NYC from Yuno's Farm (see this NYTimes  article).

Joe seared the combined whole peppers on high heat using some grapeseed oil. They were adorned with kosher salt and needed nothing else.

Comments

[Frodnesor]

Padrons or shishitos or whatever you may choose to call them (I've been told they're the same - while the flavor is very similar, I have no idea if this is true biologically) were making appearances all over menus in Northern California when we were just out there. Someone must be growing them on the west coast.

[docsconz]

They have certainly become much more available and popular here in the U.S. of late (availability = popularity = no coincidence for these flavorful morsels). I am awaiting the arrival of some padrones from a local farm.

[Armen]

These peppers are really amazing and so happy to have access to them quite readily.