Every Good Friday in Loíza, a dish is served that carries the Afro-Caribbean flavors and family traditions of the town,
Caldo santo is a sancocho native to the Capital of Tradition, made with coconut milk, root vegetables and fish or crab. It is traditionally prepared on Good Friday, a date when Christians do not eat meat during Lent. But there are also Loíza residents who, by family tradition, prepare this Caribbean dish using recipes passed down from generation to generation.
Loyda Lacén Pizarro, owner of Gustositos Lacén, shared with Platea the culinary keys she learned from her mother Loida Pizarro Fuentes and her aunts Natividad, Elizabeth and María Milagros Pizarro Fuentes, who in turn learned them from their own mother.
Lacén Pizarro explains that the recipe spans more than five generations and has been made without changing "a single pinch."
"Good Friday is already something very family-oriented and community-based. It's the perfect excuse for the community and family to get together and share that whole day," Lacén Pizarro said.
Bring the tradition of Loíza to your home by following the Pizarro family recipe.
Where to try caldo santo in Loíza this Holy Week:
🍲 El Burén de Lula
This chinchorro (a casual roadside food and drink spot) is known for its original Puerto Rican recipes, including cassava bread, corn arepas and fresh coconut candy. This Good Friday, April 3, it will have caldo santo with crab ($12), salt cod ($10) or plain ($8), along with a full menu that includes yuca-based fritters, rice with crab, salmorejo, beans, sweet tortilla and more.
Orders begin at 8:00 a.m. and delivery is at 1:00 p.m., while supplies last. It will also be available Saturday and Sunday with delivery at 12:00 p.m. Call 787-206-6240 for more information.
🍲 El Sazón de Sylvia
This restaurant on Carr. 187 will hold its usual caldo santo sale this Holy Thursday, April 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is offered with crab ($15) or sierra ($12) in 16 oz portions, while supplies last.
You can reserve yours in advance by calling 939-395-9703. They will also have alcapurrias, empanadillas, rice with coconut and fish salads. Saturday and Sunday they open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; they do not open on Friday.
🍲 Rosa's Pizza
This Holy Thursday, April 2, Rosa's Pizza joins the tradition with its fish caldo santo at $10 (before tax) in a 16 oz portion, available from 11:00 a.m. while supplies last. They will also have rice with coconut and fish salad for $12. Orders are taken by list, so call 787-342-7535 to reserve yours.
🍲 La 187 Pinchos y Algo Más
This marks four consecutive years celebrating Good Friday with caldo santo, and this April 3 will be no exception. Starting at 11:00 a.m. they will be serving caldo in a medium size ($12, 16 oz) or large ($15, 32 oz), or as a full plate with salad, rice and beans for $15.
The menu also includes rice with coconut, fried snapper, gandule salad with fish, conch salad, octopus and shrimp salads, coconut arepas, piononos and more. Orders are taken by list while supplies last. To reserve yours, call 787-960-6570.
🍲 Kiosco La Comay
At this Loíza kiosk, caldo santo is not sold; it is given away. Following Luz Escalera's recipe, they prepare their crab caldo and offer it to customers at no charge. You can pair it with dishes available for purchase, such as rice with coconut, pickled fish, rice with crab, salmorejo, avocado and cornmeal fritters.
They open Thursday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m.; they do not open on Friday.
Caldo santo recipe
Serves 8 to 10
3 to 4 oz of sofrito
3 to 4 oz of ground garlic
Powdered sazón packets to taste
2 oz of natural or powdered achiote
10 long-leaf recao leaves
Salt to taste
4 fresh coconuts
5 fresh fish (your choice: sierra, colirubia, mero, etc.)
Vegetable oil
3 white sweet potatoes
3 yautías
1 medium-size ñame
6 potatoes
2 pounds of fresh gandules
5 green bananas (you can use a full hand)
3 green plantains for the bollitos
A food processor or coconut-grinding machine
A kitchen grater or guayo
Directions:
Open the coconuts and extract the water and white flesh. Use a grinding machine or food processor to grind the coconuts and make the milk.
Add the milk to a large pot and stir in 3 to 4 oz of sofrito and garlic, 2 pounds of fresh gandules, 2 oz of natural achiote and long-leaf recao (10 leaves). Season with orégano brujo, sazón and salt to taste.
Grind the green plantains to make bollitos. Add the bollitos once the rest of the vegetables have softened. Cover the pot for about 8 minutes.
Separately, marinate the fish with sofrito, garlic, adobo, sazón and salt to taste. Then fry them in a deep fryer or large caldero with vegetable oil. Once they turn golden, remove them and let them rest.
Add the fish to the broth for about five minutes, then remove them to keep them from breaking apart.
Serve and enjoy the caldo santo with your loved ones, as the Pizarro family does every Good Friday.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
