This Technique Will Give Padrón Peppers A Tasty, Blistered Surface

The day you learn to make perfectly blistered padrón peppers is the day you discover one of your new favorite side dishes. Padróns are Spanish peppers famous for their random spiceiness, but they are also simply delicious, with a smoky, grassy flavor that is unexpectedly complex. Being bite-sized, they can be prepared in a matter of minutes. And if you've ever gotten them at a restaurant, you probably already know blistering them is the ideal way to prepare padrón peppers. Not only is it quick, but the charring brings out more of their natural smokiness, tempers the green pepper bitterness, and adds depth through browning. And to get there, all you have to do is nothing at all.

The key to perfect blistering on padrón peppers is leaving them alone. Because padróns cook so quickly, you want to maximize the contact with your hot pan to develop as much charring as possible before they overcook. So when they go in the hot pan, don't touch them for a minute, which will ensure they develop plenty of blistering on at least one side. After that, you can start tossing and turning them in the pan to make sure they get more evenly cooked, but if you move them too much to start, you'll lose out on the heat being concentrated in one spot long enough to develop a deep, blistered char.

That hard sear really is all you need for excellent padrón peppers. The pan should be ripping hot, and ideally, you should be using a small amount of a neutral high-smoke-point cooking oil, or even no oil at all. Padrón peppers are often served with olive oil, but it should be drizzled on after the peppers are cooked, since the high heat of the pan would destroy the delicate flavor of good extra virgin olive oil. You'll be able to tell they are done based on the blistering, and because some of them will start to collapse from the heat. This should only take a few minutes, and then you can toss them with oil and some sea salt. That's all they need to be one of the most perfectly crushable side dishes in existence.

And the smoky flavor of blistered padrón peppers will work with just about any main course as well. Their bright taste is an ideal complement to richer, savory dishes, like a fatty steak or pork. They are often served alongside egg and Spanish potato dishes, too. Padróns are light enough that they won't overwhelm vegetarian meals, and they make a great addition to a smaller tapas-style dinner with olives, cheeses, and some tinned seafood. But honestly, they are so easy, you'll probably find yourself making them for almost everything.