Chilli (Padron) Storing and Cooking

[Dynamite]

My Chilli Padron plants are just looking about ready to harvest. I really want to store some as well as cook some fresh. Can you all give your advice on both cooking and storing please.

This is the first time I've grown Chilli's.

Kind Regards...........Rob

[Scarlet]

Padron peppers are a popular Spanish tapas dish...best eaten green, fried in a pan and sprinkled with salt and eaten with a beer some have a big kick
You can also use them in any other cooking that you would for peppers, depend really if you want to take a chance that your omelette is super hot or not! Add to chillies etc
You can freeze them fine or perhaps use them for pickling? There is a link somewhere with some good chilli recipes, mix them up if you have a few varieties going.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...recipes-2.html

[Small pumpkin]

I'm not the person to advise on the cooking because I've never grown padron, I know nothing about its heat levels. But storing you could dry them in a dehydrator or in the oven on a very low temperature or in the airing cupboard. Freezing is another very good way of storing them. Again depending on the heat pickling could be an option.
I'm sure someone who knows the variety will be along to help soon.

[Scarlet]

Some are mild as can be and then others are super hot you take your chances with beer ready to cool you down!
Sparrow grows them too.

[Snadger]

I have some Padron peppers which I was late in sowing. They are just at the flowering stage and I have no idea of what shape they are or what heat they hold.

[Containergardener]

Eating them is like Russian roulette ...you never know when your head will blow
Had them as tapas in Spain .

[sparrow100]

I have some Padron peppers which I was late in sowing. They are just at the flowering stage and I have no idea of what shape they are or what heat they hold.

I love 'em! Like Scarlet says, best eaten green. I find they get hotter towards the end of the season and also if you keep the plants dry. Where I am I can grow them in pots or the ground and I have peppers from late June to the first frosts in November. Plants get to about 2.5ft high and are very bushy.

The chillies are snub-nosed and blocky in shape - mine are almost rectangular with tapering ends. The blockiness helps when you are frying them to get an even cooking!

I pick when about 2in long and dry fry till blackened, then sprinkle with salt & oil. They range from nice & spicy to blow your head off heat-wise.

If you leave them to go red, they make a good sub for a cayenne chilli. Hardly any of mine make it to that stage though.

[bramble]

My question is more about when to pick them.
When do you know when they are ripe.
I have a really good crop of Padrons this year and dont want to pick them too soon.

[TrixC]

What do you want to use them for once stored? I don't think you could store them and expect to make pimentos de padron. There are lots of ways to store chillies, you can freeze, dry in a low oven, or pickle them. If you were wanting to use them as a seasoning in stews etc you'd probably want to wait until they ripen (turn red) to get the fullest flavour. For pickling green would be ok. To be honest I always eat my padrons fresh, I grow other varieties, like aji, cayenne and jalape�os, for preserving.

[sparrow100]

My question is more about when to pick them.
When do you know when they are ripe.
I have a really good crop of Padrons this year and dont want to pick them too soon.

They are most often used when green - I pick when they are fairly large at 2-3in long. The ones in the shops are generally an inch to an inch and a half long. They will increase in heat with size & maturity. Plus the more you pick, the more the bushes will produce. I usually grow 6-8 plants for the two of us and will take 5-6 off each per week, sometimes more. But we really, really like them.

I have left a few to go all the way through to red at the end of the season and they are hot.

[ecudc]

I concur that they are best eaten fresh quickly fried whole in salt and olive oil. I've recently tried another way which was filled with cream cheese well seasoned. You then wrap in pancetta or streaky bacon and BBQ until the bacon is crisp.

[bramble]

Thanks Sparrow. I will start picking them tomorrow.