Kendall Farms | Rocoto Chilli

Capsicum Pubescens

The Rocoto Tree Chilli also has another common name of 'Hotlips' there is no question of the heat in these perennial chillies. The fruit matures from green to red and ranges in heat from medium hot to very hot depending on the weather. The shrub will fruit abundantly for many years. The deep rich chilli flavour is accentuated when dry roasted in a pan or directly over a flame.

The Rocoto has thick walls, like a bell pepper, but hot. It has been cultivated in Peru and Bolivia for thousands of years.

Rocoto (aka locoto in Bolivia) is Capsicum pubescens (hairy pepper). Locoto is among the oldest of domesticated peppers, up to as much as 5000 years ago by Inca. Young and adult plants are highly pubescent. Seeds are black or dark.

The smaller red locoto is thought to be an earlier domesticated type and is more common in Bolivia.

More typical in Peru is the larger red Rocoto that makes excellent rocoto relleno. The yellow type tends to be on the small size and now more commonly found in the Caribbean and Mexico.

The Rocoto is probably related to undomesticated peppers that still grow in South America (cardenasii, eximium, and others). This plant is a perennial, you should plan for this in colder climates and pot it. Expect to cut it back to 1/3 every year.

The Red Rocoto is known both for its growth habit and for its tasty fruit with a spicy, apple-tinged flavour. It is extremely hot....and in Peru, this 'extinguisher' is mandatory!

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STUFFED ROCOTO

Preparation time:

1 hour

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 fresh Rocotos

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 chopped white onion

2 chopped cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons aji Amarillo powder

500gm minced beef

1 teaspoon ground oregano

2 tablespoons reduced salt peanut butter

1 can evaporated milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

some good sharp grated cheddar

Method

1. Cut open each Rocoto and remove seeds and veins with spoon. Place in a small pot full of water and put on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to just before boil and remove from heat.

Allow to sit for 10 minutes and then pour off water.

Repeat 4 times alternating 1tbs sugar and 1 tbs salt in the water, this will remove most of the heat or this dish will be too hot for most people. If you like it hot, do the aforementioned only one or two times.

2. Boil the eggs, allow to cool and chop. Sauté in a large skillet with 3 tbs vegetable oil the chopped onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add the aji chilli powder and cook for about 5 more minutes on medium (you can substitute 2 fresh or dried Amarillo if you have some). Add the ground beef & oregano and cook for another 10. Add the peanut butter & eggs & salt/pepper to taste. Take off heat and set aside.

3. Stuff the Rocotos and arrange in a baking dish. Pour about 2 tablespoons evaporated milk into each one, cover the opening with cheese and cap with the Rocoto top. Pour any leftover stuffing into the baking dish and a little of the milk also. Cook in the oven at 350 for about 40 min.

Serve with boiled potatoes. Arrange some of the extra stuffing on the plate and place sprinkle the cheese on top.