Rocoto Relleno

Method

Roast the rocoto peppers over a flame until the skin blisters, then place in a plastic bag to steam for 5 minutes before carefully peeling away the charred skin and removing seeds through a small incision at the top. Heat oil in a large pan and fry the diced onion and garlic until soft, then add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Stir in the cumin, raisins, olives, and chopped hard-boiled eggs, seasoning generously with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and cool slightly before spooning the filling into the prepared peppers. Make a béchamel sauce by melting butter and whisking in flour to form a paste, gradually adding milk whilst stirring until smooth and thickened. Cook the diced potatoes in vegetable stock until tender, then carefully add the stuffed peppers and pour the béchamel sauce over them. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the peppers are heated through and the sauce is creamy and well-combined.