Tad Seaborn/The Globe and Mail
This is one app that you may be eating out of the pan as fast as bacon. These quick-fried peppers take me back to Spain, sipping wine, eating tapas. Padron peppers are generally mild but every once in a while you bite into one that packs heat. Blistered, hot, tender and salted, they take about as much time to make as popping popcorn and satisfy your savoury cravings equally well. There are two ways I've made these – try both and see which you prefer.
Option 1
Clean and dry your Padron peppers. Toss with olive oil. Heat a large pan over medium-high (a cast-iron pan is ideal). Add the peppers in a single layer and allow to soften and blister, turning them to avoid burning. Brown all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan, sprinkle liberally with sea salt – grab the stem and dig in.
Option 2
Proceed as above, but instead of tossing the peppers in oil before adding to the pan, add 1/4 to 1/2 inch of olive oil to your pan and heat over medium-high. When the oil shimmers (once it's hot), add your peppers. Fry until the skin blisters and the peppers are softened. Be careful: The peppers will pop and splatter from the heat a little. Pierce with a fork before frying to allow heat to escape. Remove to a paper towel and season liberally with sea salt.
Both methods have great results – the second softens the peppers quicker and might be a tad more delicious in my books.
Blistered Padron Peppers
Padron peppers
Olive Oil
Sea Salt