Cuisine from Spain 12 - Almejas a la Marinera and Pimientos del Padron

Ben · 22nd August 2006, 06:28 PM

If clams are your thing then this is your recipe! And if they're not, then you always have the Pimientos del Padron!

Full recipes here

Edith · 22nd August 2006, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben

If clams are your thing then this is your recipe! And if they're not, then you always have the Pimientos del Padron!

That sounds delicious, perhaps I will even try the clams the next time I'm in Spain!

As far as the pimientos del padrón are concerned, I might be able to find them in an Asian or Turkish store. Not in an ordinary Dutch supermarket, though. :-(

In New Mexico, which is the heartland of pimiento (chile pepper) in the U.S., they would probably call these peppers chiles anchos or poblanos. Here's a list of chile peppers from around the world which includes mild ones as well as the fiercely hot habanero:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Chilefre.html

And here is the chile ancho or poblano. Would you agree this looks like the pimiento del padrón? According to the information provided on the site, it's degree of hotness is mild. Jalapeño is much hotter.

Marina · 23rd August 2006, 07:57 AM

It is very possible that they look very similar in shape and size (I'm guessing about this one because I don't have a size reference next to the pepper), but the color definetely lighter and they look thiner or softer. This is the best pic I could find of them raw.

greytop · 23rd August 2006, 10:34 AM

Marina - thanks for pushing me into buying & cooking some pimientos del padrón. Delicious, especially the hot ones, so far about 1 in 6!
The one in the middle is from a plant on my terrace which I think is a scotch bonnet pepper. It tasted sweeter than the padrónes. They eventually go red.

Edith · 23rd August 2006, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greytop

Marina - thanks for pushing me into buying & cooking some pimientos del padrón. Delicious, especially the hot ones, so far about 1 in 6!
The one in the middle is from a plant on my terrace which I think is a scotch bonnet pepper. It tasted sweeter than the padrónes. They eventually go red.

These ones do look like the chiles anchos I tasted in New Mexico and which are so famous over there. Perhaps they change color during the frying process?

Marina, yours look more like Anaheim. There are so many different kinds of chiles in the world, it's amazing!

Anaheim

Brian · 23rd August 2006, 12:44 PM

Poblanos that you would buy here in the US would consistently have a picante bite to them, certainly too much to eat an entire plate. One might spend the next 3 days in pure agony!

Marina · 23rd August 2006, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edith

These ones do look like the chiles anchos I tasted in New Mexico and which are so famous over there. Perhaps they change color during the frying process?

On one hand the picture that I posted was far too bright, and on the other one padrón peppers definitely get darker while they are fryed.

Greytop, your peppers look fantastic!!!
I'm amazed that you've had time to buy and cook padrón peppers, we only published the podcast yesterday!!!

I'm also very impresed that you have gronwn your own peppers in your balcony, it is possible that the scotch bonnet pepper might be a mild alternative for this recipe for those that can not find padron ones in their area.

Edith · 24th August 2006, 12:04 AM

Greytop, did you really eat the home-grown scotch bonnet in the middle? I mean, they are super-hot!

I tried them in the Yucatán, where they are very popular.

<----

Scotch bonnet chile Notes: This chile is almost indistinguishable from the habanero, except that it's a bit smaller. It's popular in the Caribbean. Substitutes: habañero chile OR Serrano chilies (use twice as many) OR jalapeno peppers (use twice as many)

greytop · 24th August 2006, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edith

Greytop, did you really eat the home-grown scotch bonnet in the middle? I mean, they are super-hot!

I tried them in the Yucatán, where they are very popular.

I could be wrong as I got the seeds from a pepper, not a packet! They are definitely not super hot, a bit like the p. del padrón with some having more heat than others (specially around the seed end).
They certainly look like scotch bonnets but are more likely a sweet variety.
They are ripening as I type (got 3 red ones today - see pic) and the cut one is definitely hot although not deadly.

guapo · 27th August 2006, 01:50 PM

just got back from a week long trip around the País Vasco and of course I brought some pimientos home with me. Here is a close up picture

pimientos.jpg

Looking forward to cooking these later.....

guapo · 12th September 2006, 03:29 PM

A quick footnote: I was reading The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky last night when I came across this on the Guernica pepper.

It seems that it is actually a large red pepper called choricero - the name coming from its use in chorizo sausage. When it is picked young it is still green and known as the Guernica pepper. The same pepper is grown across the Rioja region where the stronger sunlight gives it more of a chilli-like heat.

Marina · 12th September 2006, 03:47 PM

I didn't have a clue that both Gernika and Choriceros were the same pepper

22nd August 2006, 06:28 PM	#1
Ben Hero Forero Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,425	Cuisine from Spain 12 - Almejas a la Marinera and Pimientos del Padron If clams are your thing then this is your recipe! And if they're not, then you always have the Pimientos del Padron! Full recipes here __________________ Notes in Spanish: Get The Best Free Spanish-Learning Conversations On The Net! Last edited by Marina; 23rd August 2006 at 02:02 PM.

24th August 2006, 12:04 AM	#8
Edith Pangolin Forero Join Date: May 2006 Location: Países Bajos Posts: 3,808	Greytop, did you really eat the home-grown scotch bonnet in the middle? I mean, they are *super-hot! I tried them in the Yucatán, where they are very popular. <---- Scotch bonnet chile* Notes: This chile is almost indistinguishable from the habanero, except that it's a bit smaller. It's popular in the Caribbean. Substitutes: habañero chile OR Serrano chilies (use twice as many) OR jalapeno peppers (use twice as many) Last edited by Edith; 24th August 2006 at 12:08 AM.

12th September 2006, 03:47 PM	#12
Marina NFS Admin Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Madrid Posts: 1,237	I didn't have a clue that both Gernika and Choriceros were the same pepper __________________ Our new REAL SPANISH CONTROL course has just been published, check it out!!!

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23rd August 2006, 12:44 PM	#6
Brian Errant in Valencia Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Indiana, USA Posts: 1,310	Poblanos that you would buy here in the US would consistently have a picante bite to them, certainly too much to eat an entire plate. One might spend the next 3 days in pure agony!

27th August 2006, 01:50 PM	#10
guapo Mega Forero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: London Posts: 364	just got back from a week long trip around the País Vasco and of course I brought some pimientos home with me. Here is a close up picture pimientos.jpg Looking forward to cooking these later.....

12th September 2006, 03:29 PM	#11
guapo Mega Forero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: London Posts: 364	A quick footnote: I was reading The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky last night when I came across this on the Guernica pepper. It seems that it is actually a large red pepper called choricero - the name coming from its use in chorizo sausage. When it is picked young it is still green and known as the Guernica pepper. The same pepper is grown across the Rioja region where the stronger sunlight gives it more of a chilli-like heat.