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1
Boil the Broad Beans
10 Mins
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add the shelled broad beans and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender but still firm enough to hold their shape. Drain in a colander, rinse briefly under cold water, and spread them out to cool completely. If you like a silkier salad, slip the beans out of their pale outer skins once they are cool enough to handle.
Do not overcook the beans — soft, mushy beans fall apart in the toss and turn the salad grey-green. Taste one at 8 minutes; it should be creamy inside with a little bite.
Done when: The beans are tender and creamy inside, with the skins slipping off easily.
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2
Boil the Corn and Whisk the Dressing
5 Mins
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F); dressing at room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)
Boil the corn kernels for 3-4 minutes until just tender, then drain and cool completely. While the corn cools, whisk the olive oil, lime juice and white wine vinegar in a small bowl with the salt and black pepper until the dressing looks lightly cloudy and combined.
Taste the dressing before it meets the salad — it should be bright and sharp, not oily. The cheese and olives bring salt, so hold back on extra salt until the end.
Done when: The corn is tender and sweet; the dressing is sharp and well combined.
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3
Chop the Vegetables and Cheese
5 Mins
No heat — room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)
Dice the tomatoes into 1 cm pieces and the red pepper the same size. Finely dice the red onion, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes to soften its bite, then drain well. Halve the black olives, cube the queso fresco, and chop the parsley.
Keep the dice small and even — solterito is a chopped salad, and even pieces mean every spoonful has beans, corn, cheese and tomato in it.
Done when: Everything is cut to roughly the same small size and the onion has lost its harsh edge.
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4
Toss and Chill
30 Mins
Chilled, 4°C (40°F)
Put the cooled beans and corn in a large bowl with the tomato, onion, pepper, olives, cheese and most of the parsley. Pour over the dressing and toss gently with two spoons until everything is lightly coated. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavours settle together, then taste and adjust the salt and lime.
Toss gently and only once or twice — vigorous stirring breaks the cheese cubes and mashes the beans.
Done when: The salad is cold, lightly glossy with dressing, and the flavours taste balanced rather than sharp.
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5
Serve Cold
2 Mins
Served cold, 4°C (40°F)
Spoon the solterito onto cold plates or into a wide serving bowl, scatter over the remaining parsley, and serve at once with crusty bread or as a side to grilled meat or fish.
If the salad has sat in the fridge overnight, give it a gentle toss and a fresh squeeze of lime before serving — the dressing dulls as it sits.
Done when: The salad is cold, colourful and holds its shape on the plate.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the solterito well chilled, with the parsley scattered over the top and a wedge of lime on the side for anyone who wants it sharper. It is at its best the day it is made, when the beans are firm and the corn is sweet.
Peru
35m
