Of all the delicious bites we sampled that evening, those charred peppers were the unanimous favorite. We ordered two plates. I have been on the search ever since for padrón peppers and, more recently, shishito and fushimi peppers, which I understand are all similar — small, green and thin-walled — and take well to high heat, fast cooking, and showers of salt. Alas, I had no luck at the farmers’ market, but with beautiful peppers of countless varieties spilling out of baskets at every turn, I had no reason to despair. I picked up half a dozen poblanos with these quesadillas in mind, a long-time favorite summer recipe, a simple mix of sautéed onions and roasted poblano rajas (“strips”) with Monterey Jack, cilantro and sour cream. Every time I make these I am tempted to add more — sautéed corn, grilled summer squash — and I’m always happy when I don’t. There is something so good about this simple combination, about tasting each element — the smoky peppers and sweet onions, the bright cilantro, the creamy, melty Jack. As with pizza, less is more with quesadillas — a thin layer of ingredients is best. Before serving, I love stretching open the cheese-locked layers and dropping in spoonfuls of sour cream. With one bite of this golden, crispy quesadilla, I bid my shishito pepper pinings sayonara. 5 from 1 review
