September is peak pepper season in Southern California. At farmers markets, Johanna Finley of Finley Farms up in Santa Ynez, offers an array of peppers, from sweet ones to peppers that have some heat.
"Sweetness-wise, we go from the orange lunchbox pepper, your standard red bell pepper, which is really nothing standard about it. It's amazing," Johanna says. "And then the Jimmy Nardellos, which are the talk of the town. And then Shishito is sort of mild/medium. Padron, which is very similar to a Shishito but I think much more flavorful, sometimes gives you a real good kick. And then poblano peppers and jalapeños."
With the Jimmy Nardello peppers, which are long and pointy, Johanna recommends throwing them in a hot pan and simply blistering them with a little salt. "No prep really needed," she says. Have them on the side of anything or just by themselves. I'm especially loving them with goat cheese lately."
At Cosetta in Santa Monica, Chef Zach Pollack serves a Samo Bagna Cauda that involves seasonal peppers. The Piedmontese dipping sauce is traditionally served hot and made with anchovies, garlic, and butter or olive oil.
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