Padrón Pepper Salad

Photo: Thomas J. Story
Plant now to make this dish come summer. "It's like sunshine on a plate," says Valerie Rice. Padrón peppers are wonderfully tender when blitzed on a grill, and they're enjoyably unpredictable--most are mild, but every so often, you'll get a hot one.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Slice tomatoes in half. Put in a bowl and toss with 1/4 tsp. salt. Set aside.
Step 2
2
Heat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high. Toss peppers with 2 tsp. oil and grill until slightly charred all over, 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 3
3
Divide peppers among 4 salad plates or 2 dinner plates, stacking to give some height to each dish. Divide tomatoes and sprinkle around peppers, then top with crumbled feta. To finish, drizzle 2 tsp. olive oil over each plate, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and top with a few basil flowers.
Step 4
4
Note: Nutritional analysis is per appetizer serving.
Ingredients
24 Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt, divided
32 small Padrón peppers
10 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup Israeli feta, crumbled
1 teaspoon purple basil flowers or tiny leaves from basil plant