Padron Peppers - smoky, charred and salty -make your party zing!

Salty, juicy, padron peppers. Party finger food with a difference - one in ten has a spicy kick..but which one?

Padron Peppers

An indispensable part of any tapas selection, and a joyous addition to any party spread, sharing table or al fresco meal. We all love finger food, especially outside with our friends and family, and anything that makes life easier for the cook is a winner with me.

The fun thing about these peppers is that although they are mainly mild tasting, one in 10 has a spicy kick to it, and you can’t tell which ones by looking. So you’re adding a little risky gamble to your snacking, which gives you a very pleasant frisson of anticipation. The variety of peppers is so special that it has been awarded a PDO protected status by the EU. I like the feeling of almost eating a national monument – similar to the UK’s Stilton cheese or Italy’s Prosciutto Toscano ham.

Serve as part of a sharing table, or as a starter with a glass of Spanish red wine. You could pack them into a sealed container and take them along as a different vegetable for a picnic or put them in a lunchbox for your child to show off at school.
 
Serves 4 as part of a mixed starter            Timings: 15 minutes

• 250g padron peppers, washed
• Several glugs of good olive oil
• A generous half handful of good flaky sea salt such as Maldon Salt

 
Make sure the peppers are dry or they’ll spit as they hit the hot oil.

Heat the oil in a heavy based frying pan – you are not deep frying but you need more than a slick of oil. Place the peppers in the hot oil and turn them as the skins puff and char. Fry for a few minutes, making sure all sides are cooked.

Turn them onto a plate and sprinkle generously with the flaky sea salt.

Serve warm or room temperature, and you will need a napkin to wipe your oily hands.