NICE AND NAUGHTY

Padron peppers from Suzie’s Farm at the North Park Farmers’ Market are a bit of a gamble; nine out of ten padrons are nice, mild peppers with a slightly snappy taste, but the tenth is a scorcher that will really wake up your taste buds! Toss them in olive oil, sear them in a hot skillet until the skin blisters, and sprinkle with sea salt for a classic Spanish style tapa. If you need reliably hot heat, try their serrano peppers or some mixed hot peppers from Proios Family Farms; mix with tomatoes, cilantro and onion from Valdivia Farms in a summer salsa fresca. If sweet is more your style, try this recipe using pale yellow antohi Hungarian peppers; stuff them with Springhill Cheese goat cheese and spinach from JR Organics, drizzle with serrano chile honey balsamic from The California Olive. Green bells are also in season. Need more ideas on how to use these sweet and spicy treats? Stop by the market and feel free to pepper us with questions!