Rocoto Relleno
Arequipa, Peru — Andean highlands; a signature dish of comida arequipeña
A stuffed pepper dish from Arequipa in the Andean highlands, built around the rocoto — a capsicum with the heat of a habanero but the thick, fleshy wall of a bell pepper. The rocoto is deseeded and blanched repeatedly in salted water with vinegar to tame capsaicin without erasing fruity depth, then filled with a picadillo of ground beef or pork with raisins, hardboiled eggs, and olives. A béchamel-like white sauce or melted cheese seals the cavity before baking. Arequipeño cuisine treats this dish as a cultural touchstone, served at family ferias with pastel de papa alongside.