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Re-Post of Peruvian Stuffed Rocoto

Have tons of red and orange Rocoto getting all ripe on me so I had to make this again!

Stuffed Rocotos
This recipe is a signature dish of Arequipa, a city spectacularly located in the Andes of southern Peru. Famous throughout the country, it has become a national dish, right behind ceviche and aji de gallina. The Peruvians typically accompany stuffed rocotos with beer, although a red wine is also appropriate. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

6 (I used 12 so I just doubled the recipe) rocotos I used 15. Home grown
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup pitted olives, chopped (I used pitted green olives)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons yellow/golden raisins
1 teaspoon Aji Amarillo paste or powder(Mi Pueblo has this)
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 yellow potatoes, boiled and cut in half
1 cup grated mozzarella or Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup milk
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the tops off the rocotos. The tops may be saved as a garnish. Remove all seeds and veins. Soak the rocotos for 12 or way less hours in a bowl of water with 2 tablespoons salt, changing the water at least twice. (BUT IF YOU WANT IT HOTTER, THEN SKIP THIS) I just have to do it for the rest of the families sensitive taste buds.....
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and cook until tender. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Add the meat, Aji Amarillo(It’ll work without the Amarillo.... If you got a dorset naga or bhut, just put in a bit ... fatalli would be killer in this) add cumin and fry until cooked. Add the olives, salt, raisins, and the beaten egg and mix it all up.
Stuff the rocotos with this mixture.
In a glass, or any kind of baking dish, arrange the rocotos and potatoes. Pour the milk on top of all of it and arrange the cheese atop the rocotos.
Bake at 400° F for 40 minutes. Maybe in the Land of The Metric System it would be maybe 205c. But keep checking on it. With our crappy oven it only took 25 minutes.....

This is also good with sweet peppers or squash....

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and my wife also whipped up a batch of fresh clams to go with it. Damn I eat good for being unemployed!!!!!
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That looks awesome. Hopefully I will end up getting some Rocotos to ripen then I will have to make that. What is the clam recipe????
 
scarpetti said:
Have tons of red and orange Rocoto getting all ripe on me so I had to make this again!

Stuffed Rocotos
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What a find, you are the only other person I've heard of growing Aji Lucento. I also live in Oakland and have orange and red Rocoto and Aji Lucento growing. Some are new this year, but there are also an rocoto and lucento from last year which have grown quite large in half wine barrels. I was delighted to see this recipe as right now there are too many peppers to keep up with just for salsas and general cooking.

I made your recipe last night and it was yummy. I added a couple of cloves and some cinnamon to the spicing. Btw, I did not find Aji Amarillo at Mi Pueblo, but they did have whole dried ones.

Any thoughts on how best to preserve Aji Lucento and Rocotos?
 
Hey dg, where at in Oakland are you? By any chance is your Aji Lucento from Kassenhoff Growers? I found mine at Ace Nursery on Grand Ave about 3 years ago. They also sell plants at The Grand Ave Farmer's Market. Maybe you got yours there. It was Ace's last pepper plant in like late, late summer. Did nothing the first year. I thought it died but spring came around and there was new growth on it. Now it produces up to 75 fruits per year. I also have 4 more going from the seeds. I'll have ripe fruit around Christmas time!

I have done so much researching the Lucento, but can't find anything. All I know is they came from seeds the father of one of the Kassenhoff growers brought back from Ecuador.

Preserving. They're really good pickled. I usually cut them in half and de-seed and use a basic pickling recipe. Or I make sauce with them.

If you go to the Mi Pueblo on High St the Aji Amarillo is on the isle right across from where they make the fresh food and tortillas. The brand is Amazonas. It's labeled Yellow Hot Pepper Sauce and there's a parrot on their logo. It's a product of Peru. God, I love that store. Always make sure you go on a Sunday after church lets out. Everyone's still dressed in there church duds!
 
scarpetti said:
Hey dg, where at in Oakland are you? By any chance is your Aji Lucento from Kassenhoff Growers?
...
I have done so much researching the Lucento, but can't find anything.
...
Preserving. They're really good pickled. I usually cut them in half and de-seed and use a basic pickling recipe. Or I make sauce with them.

If you go to the Mi Pueblo on High St the Aji Amarillo is on the isle right across from where they make the fresh food and tortillas. The brand is Amazonas. It's labeled Yellow Hot Pepper Sauce and there's a parrot on their logo. It's a product of Peru. God, I love that store. Always make sure you go on a Sunday after church lets out. Everyone's still dressed in there church duds!
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I'm about a mile towards Mills College from the Mi Pueblo. Are you anywhere nearby?

That Mi Pueblo used to be a Luckys. What a huge improvement! Best grocery chain ever. I for one totally welcome our new Mexican overlords. I think they have rearranged a bit since you got your Aji Amarillo, the Peruvian section is now an aisle over from the deli. I saw Amazonas products, but only found the dry peppers. They seem pretty tasty, I'm going to try them in a couple things in place of dried de Arbol.

I got one Lucento from Kassenhoff at the farmers market last year, also an orange rocoto. This year I got more and a red rocoto from Ace. Last thanksgiving all I had was a bunch of green fruit and all my other peppers were done and I was disappointed that they would be too late and I'd never get any ripe ones. So I was ecstatic when they started turning red and beautiful in December. I was still picking them into March! I tried to save seeds last year and even built an incubator but nothing sprouted at all.

All I was able to find on the net about Aji Lucento was Kassenhoff, and a picture you posted a couple years ago.

Tell me more about the pickling and sauce, I use a lot of peppers, but can't keep up this year. Next year when this years new plants are big, I'm going to be drowning in Lucento and Rocoto.

Your recipe is great, I made it again yesterday. Mmmm.
 
Sorry it's been so long DG. I started a new job in Oct so I haven't much time to myself. Now about sauces or the pickling of your Pubs.
*For pickling: First I cut them in half and de-seed. Then I do 2 cups white distilled vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tblspn kosher salt and 3 or 4 cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil then back off the heat to a low boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Have your clean and sterile canning jars in a pot of 200 degree simmering water while thats all happening. After the vinegar and water are done, tightly pack the jars with the Pubs, some fresh garlic cloves and whatever pickling spices if you want them. Don't use the cheap mexican ones. It's clouds up! Then seal the jars and give them a 10 minute hot boiling water bath, unless your going to store them in the fridge.

And where do I live? I'm off High St. 2 blocks west of MacArthur. Did you here about the guy that got shot while driving then plowed into the gas meter last week? When the residents where evacuated to the AC Transit bus.... That happened right across High St from my street.

I'll PM you about the sauce I made with them.
 
scarpetti said:
And where do I live? I'm off High St. 2 blocks west of MacArthur. Did you here about the guy that got shot while driving then plowed into the gas meter last week? When the residents where evacuated to the AC Transit bus.... That happened right across High St from my street.

I'll PM you about the sauce I made with them.
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Thanks for the pickling info. I may have to wait a bit since we used most of my ripe Rocoto for a few more stuffed peppers dinners.

I did not hear about that incident. Sounds like you are nearby. I'm near Maxwell Park School, a few blocks south of High near Fleming. PM would be great.
 
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