One in ten Padróns or shishitos is actually spicy. Pepper roulette!
Ingredients
1/2 serrano chile, thinly sliced into rings
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 cups Padrón chiles or shishito peppers
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound squid, bodies sliced into rings, tentacles halved
1 teaspoon Aleppo-style pepper
1 cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 cup basil leaves, torn if large
Directions
Whisk serrano chile, olive oil, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl to combine; season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Very thinly slice 2 Padrón chiles into rings and add to vinaigrette. Let sit 10 minutes.
Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Pat squid dry with a paper towel; sprinkle with Aleppo-style pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until bottom side is golden brown, about 1 minute. Toss squid and continue to cook, tossing often, until cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a medium bowl and wipe out skillet.
Heat remaining 1 tsp. vegetable oil in skillet and cook remaining Padrón chiles, tossing occasionally, until blistered and browned in spots and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Transfer chiles to bowl with squid; add vinaigrette with sliced chiles, cilantro, and basil and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
