Loroco are small, green, unopened flower buds, used as a flavoring agent in Central American cuisine. They are cultivated in Guatemala and El Salvador, two of the countries with lots of recipes with loroco. In Guatemala, one of the most popular loroco recipes is Chicken with Loroco in Cream Sauce or Pollo en Crema y Loroco as it is known here.
It is difficult to explain the captivating flavour of loroco and cream, suffice it to read the words of the chef for Rainforest Recipes:
I had never eaten Loroco until recently, when I had the good fortune to drop in at the end of a cooking class in “Guatemalan Cuisine” that was being given to the women of the Grupo Femenino Ix-canaan. They gave me a sample of each of the three chicken dishes they prepared that day, and the Pollo con Loroco con Crema was by far the most delicious! I decided in that moment that its unique flavor merited further investigation.
Here’s a recipe in English for chicken in cream sauce with loroco. Bon Appetite!
If you can speak Spanish, watch this video to follow the recipe for Pollo en Crema and Loroco:
© 2014 – 2020, Rudy Giron. All rights reserved.
I’m wondering if anyone in the US has been able to source loroco here. Anyone know the species name to try to find it online etc?
In the U.S. one can find loroco frozen or pickled, rarely fresh, but here is the scientific name for it.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernaldia_pandurata
I just purchased some seeds on ebay. Wish me luck! $13 for some seeds… ha ha
Here you can find more information about loroco cultivation + http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Loroco.cfm
I find it fresh at my local latin market when in season
Oh wow, you’re so lucky. What state do you live in?
My mother-in-law’s household makes a loroco and rice that is fantastic. I also love loroco with tortillas and cheese. Unfortunately, the season when loroco is fresh doesn’t usually correspond to our visits.
Sorry to hear that. Perhaps you can pay a short visit to El Salvador next time you come to Guatemala. Somehow, Salvadorian seemed to have loroco year round.