Chilis:   Padrón & Shishito



Padrón Chili


Whole Fresh Padrón Chilis [Pimientos de Padrón (Spain); C.annuum]

From the concello of Padrón in the northwest corner of Spain, these peppers are wrinkly in shape and erratic in heat. The saying is, "Padrón Peppers, some are hot, some are not". Those in the photo were grown in Southern California and were just a little hot. The largest was 2-3/4 inches long and 1-1/2 inches diameter. In weight they run from about 1/2 ounce to 1-1/4 ounces.   Subst:   The Japanese Shishito Chili is an excellent substitute.

More on Chili Peppers.

Buying:

  Here in Southern California these can occasionally be found in Farmer's Markets, at stalls that deal in unusual stuff. They must also be grown in Virginia, because La Tienda carries them (at a high price).

Cooking:

  These are very popular in Tapas Bars, fried briefly over high heat until blistered, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and served as an appetizer.



Shishito Chili


Whole and cut Fresh Shishito Chilis [Japanese Chile; C. annuum]

Fresh dark green (red ones are very rare), these chilis have unique lengthwise ridges and blunt ends. They have good flavor are generally very mild at H0 but about 1 in 20 can surprise, cranking it up into the H1 range. This is the same as the much stubbier but similarly wrinkled Spanish Padrón pepper, from which the Shishito Chili was probably developed. Like other California produce, they are tending to get larger (easier to harvest). For my earlier photo the largest was 3 inches long and 1/2 inch diameter. A recent purchase (Oct 2017) was up to 4-3/4 inches long and 7/8 inch diameter, but still very mild.

The name in Japanese translates roughly to "Lion Chili", as they imagine the end looks like a lion's head. I sure can't see that, but a people who can name a piloted suicide bomb "Cherry Blossom" is capable of any naming perversion.

More on Chili Peppers.

Buying:

  They are easy to find here in Southern California, in the Asian markets, particularly the Korean. Philippine markets also often have piles of them, because the mild Sili Mahaba is still very scarce here in Southern California. Some larger produce markets also carry them.

Cooking:

  Like the Spanish Padrón, these are frequently fried briefly over high heat until blistered, sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and served as an appetizer.

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