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1
Soak the Beans Overnight
8 Hours, Overnight
Cold water, about 20°C (68°F)
Rinse the beans, pick out any stones or broken ones, and cover with plenty of cold water. Leave to soak overnight — the beans will swell to nearly twice their size.
A long soak is what keeps the beans creamy inside instead of mealy.
Done when: The beans have swelled to nearly twice their size.
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2
Cook the Beans Until Tender
45 Mins
Gentle boil, about 100°C (212°F)
Drain and rinse the soaked beans, cover with fresh water and a pinch of salt, and simmer gently for about 45 minutes until creamy inside but still holding their shape. Drain well and spread on a tray to cool completely.
Skim any foam in the first minutes; a gentle simmer keeps the skins intact.
Done when: A bean crushes easily between finger and thumb but still holds its shape.
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3
Boil and Chop the Eggs
10 Mins
Boiling water, about 100°C (212°F)
While the beans cook, lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Cool at once in cold water, peel and chop into small pieces.
Cooling the eggs fast stops the yolks from going grey around the edge.
Done when: Yolks fully set, deep yellow, with no grey ring.
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4
Chop the Vegetables and Whisk the Dressing
10 Mins
No heat — room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Dice the tomatoes, red onion and locote, slice the green onion and chop the parsley. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl until lightly emulsified.
Taste the dressing on its own — it should be bright and salty, since cold beans mute flavour.
Done when: The dressing is lightly emulsified and tastes bright and salty.
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5
Toss and Chill
30 Mins
Chilled, about 4°C (39°F)
Tip the cooled beans into a wide bowl with the tomato, onion, locote, green onion, parsley and chopped egg. Pour over the dressing, toss gently so nothing breaks, and chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Toss with a wide spoon and a light hand — the beans and egg should stay whole, not mashed.
Done when: The salad is cold through and the beans have taken on the lemon dressing.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the ensalada de poroto cold, straight from the fridge, in a wide bowl so the egg and tomato show on top. Taste before serving — cold salads need a little more salt and lemon than you expect.
Paraguay
1h 5m
