Cheese, Chorizo and Peppers…the perfect Padrón and Chorizo Gratin
This is one of my absolute favourite dishes, and it features the humble headline “Padrón Pepper”.
Charred on either a BBQ, griddle pan or simple frying pan (skillet) the key here is to get the skin of the pepper to the point where it begins to blister. Add a crisp glass of Spanish (or you chosen flavour) white whine and you’re all set!
For this recipe I also opted for the Galician cheese known as Tetilla (which translates as small breast) known for its conical shape; this is a cow’s milk cheese that has a very mild and creamy texture and is often used in desserts. It pairs well with the peppers and doesn’t overpower their flavour whilst still giving you the oozy cheesy texture which I love.
Of course, you don’t have access to Tetilla you can easily substitute with a good Cheddar or even mozzarella. The Italian Taleggio cheese also works well.
View more recipes using this wonderful Tetilla cheese [here].
Whenever I cook Padrón and Chorizo Gratin, it always makes me think of summer afternoons with the BBQ, lots of wine, and a bunch of friends chatting away and soaking up the Spanish sun. Probably because that was what I was doing when I first prepared it, but with the current global COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, that is fast becoming a distant memory. So I’m hopeful for better days to come where I can fire up the BBQ once again and cook for a group of friends.
Try and get the freshest peppers possible, here we have regular markets where you can source some amazing fresh fruit and vegetables, but you can often still find these peppers out of season pre-packed on the local supermarket shelves.
The final ingredient required for this dish is Chorizo. As I’m sure you already know, Chorizo comes in so many different varieties, from the cured sausages that are ready to eat, from mild and sweet to hot and spicy – although the latter is less popular with the Spanish – to the uncured (and I’m not talking about an illness) which requires cooking before eating. I often talk about buying the best ingredients you can afford, and the Chorizo for this is no exception. Personally, for this Padrón and Chorizo Gratin I prefer to use a strong full flavoured cured variety with extra heat, so select the style that suits your own tastes.
Padrón and Chorizo Gratin
Equipment
- Frying Pan or Skillet
- BBQ
- Food Tongues
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil Virgin or Extra Virgin
- 150 grams Padron Peppers
- 50 grams Chorizo Chopped into 1cm chunks or Sliced
- 100 grams Tetilla Cheese grated
- 0.5 tsp Chilli Flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp Salt Ideally use Maldon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Depending on your BBQ setup, either use the hot plate griddle or place the frying pan onto the bars of a preheated BBQ.
- Add the olive oil and once hot add the peppers closing the BBQ lid (if you have one). Keep an eye on the peppers and turn from time to time until lightly blistered.
- Add the chorizo to your pan and cook for a just a few minutes until the chorizo pieces start to release their oil.
- Finally, add your cheese of choice and allow it to melt and begin to develop a light brown crust.
Notes
- European Union law has protected the name Pimiento de Herbón under the protected designation of origin since 2009.
Nutrition
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