Padrón peppers: the one-in-ten technique

Ingredients

• 400 g Padrón peppers, whole, unwashed until just before cooking
• olive oil, just enough to film the pan
• flaky sea salt, very coarse; applied only after frying

Method

1. 1
   Set a heavy frying pan or griddle over the highest available heat. Allow it to become thoroughly hot before adding anything — a drop of water placed in the pan should evaporate on contact.
2. 2
   Film the pan with the smallest quantity of olive oil that will coat the surface. Add the peppers immediately in a single layer without crowding; work in batches if necessary. A pan that is too full causes the peppers to steam rather than char, and the dish is lost here: this is where it lives or dies.
3. 3
   Toss or shake the pan continuously for 3 to 4 minutes. The peppers are ready when the skin is blistered and charred in spots across the surface while the flesh beneath remains slightly firm to a light press.
4. 4
   Remove the peppers immediately to paper. Season at once with very coarse flaky sea salt. Serve within 5 minutes — the texture deflates on standing.