Padrón peppers
Some are hot, some are not.
Padrón pepper, also known as Herbón pepper, is a landrace variety of Capsicum annuum originating from the municipality of Padrón in northwestern Spain. It is notable for the Galician aphorism that some peppers are hot while others are not.
Quick Facts
- Scientific name
- Capsicum annuum
- Origin
- Municipality of Padrón, province of A Coruña, Galicia, northwestern Spain
- Typical length
- about 2 in / 5.08 cm
- Unripe color
- green
- Ripe color
- red
- Protected designation
- pemento de Herbón (since 2010)
Facts from the source article.
Characteristics
Padrón peppers are small, elongated fruits roughly 2 inches long. They are typically harvested and consumed while still green and unripe, at which stage the taste is mild. However, individual peppers can vary considerably in heat, a trait captured in a local Galician saying. Drought-stressed plants tend to produce hotter peppers, and the peppers become spicier as they mature to a red color.
Cultivation
Padrón peppers are a variety of Capsicum annuum, a species first domesticated in parts of the Americas. This specific pepper comes from the town of Padrón in Galicia, northwestern Spain. Since 2010, the name pemento de Herbón has been legally protected under European Union law. While still grown in its original region, Padrón peppers are now also cultivated in other Mediterranean areas and the United States. They are harvested while still green and immature.
Culinary preparation
Padrón peppers are traditionally fried in olive oil until the skin blisters and the pepper collapses. In the area around Padrón, the stems are removed before frying, a practice recommended by major Galician pepper producers and the head of the Galician tourism association to avoid bitterness. Elsewhere, the stems are usually left on and used as a handle while eating. The fried peppers are served hot, dusted with coarse salt, and sometimes accompanied by chunks of bread as tapas.
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