Grilled Padron Peppers Recipe

Prep

Rinse the Padron peppers under cool water and pat them mostly dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Trim any long stems if desired, but leave most of the stem intact to make picking them up easier while eating.

Heat pan

Place a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over high heat and let it get very hot for about 2–3 minutes. The pan should be smoking slightly but not burning.

Cook peppers

Add the 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat. Immediately add the Padron peppers in a single layer (they may overlap slightly). Let them sear, undisturbed, for 1–2 minutes until the undersides blister and char. Toss or shake the pan and continue to cook, turning occasionally, for a total of 4–6 minutes until most peppers show blistering and blackened spots and are tender-crisp.

Finish in pan

Reduce heat to medium-high if the pan is smoking a lot. Cook an additional 30–60 seconds while tossing so all sides blister. Remove the pan from the heat.

Season

Immediately transfer the peppers to a serving bowl or plate. Sprinkle the coarse sea salt evenly over the hot peppers so it clings to the blistered skin. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over them if using (about 1/2 lemon) and toss gently to distribute.

If using additional finishes, sprinkle the smoked paprika and toasted sesame seeds over the seasoned peppers and add a light dusting of cracked black pepper. Toss gently and serve hot or warm.