Spanish · Authentic-ish Spanish
Pimientos de Padron
33 kcal a serving, against 126 for the traditional version. That is 93 kcal off, or 74%, with 0.9g of protein. Serves 4. 15 minutes.
What the traditional version is
The real deal: small green Padron peppers, fried fast and hot in a deep puddle of olive oil, then heaped onto a plate and drowned in coarse salt. The frying oil seeps into the skin, turning each pepper rich, soft and silky underneath the charred exterior. You eat them stems and all, minus the bitter end (and the odd mouthful of fire).
What changed, and what each change costs
Deep-frying swapped for dry-cast-iron blistering and minimal oil
Blistering in a hot dry pan charrs the skin without swallowing a ladle of oil. A spray or brush at the end gives a touch of the original gloss, far less drip.
What it costs you. You won't get quite the same melting texture under the skin. The oil in the classic version soaks in, making the flesh soft and richer. Here, the skin blisters nicely, but the inside stays a touch firmer and less lush.
Olive oil down from 48g absorbed to a 6g spray
The main calorie culprit is the oil absorbed during frying. With just 6g sprayed at the end, you cut most of it out, while still letting the salt stick and the pepper shine.
What it costs you. A 6g spray doesn't deliver the velvet mouthfeel of the deep-fried version. The salt clings, but there's a missing silkiness. No one will mistake this for the bar at midnight. They're brighter and not as lush, but for something you eat by the fistful, you won't miss the richness after the third pepper.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 126 | 33 |
| Protein | 0.9g | 0.9g |
| Fat | 12.2g | 1.7g |
| Saturated fat | 1.7g | 0.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 4.6g | 4.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 0.7g | 2.6g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Spanish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
These aren't the Padrons of the corner bar at midnight, shimmering with oil and tasting like fried silk. If you want that, fry them and deal with the oil. But blistering in a dry pan gets you most of the way there, and after half a plate you won't care about a little less velvet. What you lose in richness you gain in speed, ease and a cleaner shirt.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Spanish, along with 57 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.