I contacted the grower in Queensland, not knowing when the season was on, and it was about to start! Runs from November to May.
I ordered a kilo and they arrived as if whisked here on the back of a Spanish stallion! They came in a box inside a postbag, simple. Great service from the grower and Australia Post!
Link to the grower. Thanx Richard!
The Pimientos
So, I just had to cook them.
In a liberal amount of hot olive oil in my trusty iron frying pan (as they might do in Spain) until the skin was blistered. Take them out and drain on absorbent paper. Then sea salt.
Oh my god. Spectacular!
Just add salt
Of course that was not all we had - a friend was coming over so I whipped up a quick tortilla (frittata) with potato and beans, had some tomatoey beans handy as well, and a chorizo.
Beautiful! Most are sweet but there's a spicy one every now and then!
So clockwise from bottom left we have tortilla/fritatta with potato and beans, some olives, octopus, tomato and green/haricot/french beans, and paprika paste, chorizo on the plate and a tomato, cucumber and spring onion salad. Centre - the pimientos
Recipes
Pimientos de Padrón
Pick off any old leaves, wash and dry the peppers.
Heat olive oil in a frypan, to below smoking point - not too hot, but the peppers should sizzle as soon as they hit the oil.
Fry until the peppers are blistered - careful, they will pop and splutter, keep them moving but be careful not to get burnt! They are cooked in about 2 or 3 mins.
Remove from the frypan onto the absorbent kitchen paper.
Sea salt to taste [quite salty suits them]
Eat them with gusto!
Padrón is a region in northwestern Spain [wikipedia]
Tortilla, otherwise known as frittata
You could include, potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes, onions, zucchini [courgettes], eggplant, anything.
For three people use 6 eggs. I used potatoes and beans. Prepare other ingredients as required before assembly.
Slice [0.5 cm] two potatoes and boil until they are almost cooked - 5 mins. Parboil the beans separately.
Break the eggs into a bowl, break the yolks but don't mix them two much, for the marbled effect.
Fry a clove of garlic crushed and a small onion in olive oil in a frypan. I use a small one so the tortilla is quite deep - thick.
Once the onions and garlic are underway, add the beans and potato in layers, then pour in the eggs.
Cook on low heat until the eggs are almost cooked then finish them under the griller, medium. Don't want to overcook them!
Season with salt and pepper, serve with the paprika paste.
Delicious hot, warm or cold.
Beans and tomato
Top and tail two handfuls of green beans, wash and cut to 3 cm lengths.
In a saucepan bring a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to medium temperature.
Fry two cloves of garlic, but don't burn it.
Pour in a can of peeled tomatoes - clean out the can with a few tablespoons of water.
With a wooden spoon break open the tomatoes [in the saucepan] so the seeds and guts come out - the tomatoes will break down and cook quicker.
Bring to the boil but then turn it down to a slow simmer for 30 mins. Don't let it stick, stir occasionally. Add the beans and cook for 10minutes, don't overcook them.
Season with salt, pepper and a little sugar, to taste. Garnish with parsley from your garden, where else?!
Serve hot or cold.
