- Rocoto
Pepper
boxwidth=250px
heat=Very Hot (SR: 50,000-250,000)The rocoto, or locoto ("Capsicum pubescens") is a medium sized roundchili pepper common inPeru ,Bolivia andEcuador . Rocoto pods have thick walls, like a bell pepper, but are quite hot. Foliage is dark green and pubescent (hairy). The plant has purple blossoms with yellow spots and the seeds are dark brown or black, whereas the seeds and seed-bearing membrane of most domesticatedCapsicum species are light in color. The plants grow up to convert|6|ft|m|abbr=on high if supported. Capsicum pubescens is a perennial, and if protected from frost and pruned back it will grow many years.Rocoto is among the oldest of domesticated peppers, and was grown up to 5000 years ago. It is probably related to undomesticated peppers that still grow in
South America (cardenasii, eximium, and others). This pepper is aspecies ; most other chili peppers arecultivars or hybrids fromCapsicum annuum .The rocoto will grow well in temperate and even cool climates without hot summers, unlike most hot chilis.
Although most rocotos are red, there is also a yellow type that is common in the
Caribbean andMexico and an orange variety.Other names for Rocoto: locoto, manzano, canario (the yellow type), caballo, & peron.
A popular dish in South America, the Peruvian "rocoto relleno", is prepared by stuffing rocotos with a meat mixture.
In the United States, locoto sauce is sometimes available at Latin-American grocers. Locoto peppers themselves are available in some markets fresh, but also occasionally frozen.
External links
* [http://highlights.perutaste.com/2007/06/rocoto.html Rocoto] at [http://www.perutaste.com Peru Taste]
* [http://www.perudepotusa.com/default.asp Peru Depot USA - Peruvian ingredients in the United States]
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