Solterito

Solterito de Queso

Solterito is a fresh, herbaceous bean salad from the southern Andes of Peru, traditionally served alongside hearty mains like roasted meats or shrimp chupe. It is built on a base of fresh cheese, lima beans and a generous tumble of herbs and onions.

Prep

25 min

Cook

20 min

Total

45 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) fresh lima beans (pallares), shelled, or frozen, thawed; canned works in a pinch but drain well
• •200 g (7 oz) fresh white cheese (queso fresco), a mild, crumbly fresh cheese; feta rinsed of brine is the closest widely available substitute
• •120 g (about 1 medium) red onion, finely diced
• •250 g (about 2 medium) ripe tomatoes, roma or vine-ripened, finely diced
• •1 whole (1 small) ají amarillo pepper, Peruvian yellow chili, seeded and finely chopped; substitute with 1 small jalapeño if unavailable
• •30 g (about 1 cup loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
• •15 g (about ¼ cup loosely packed) fresh huacatay or mint leaves, huacatay (Peruvian black mint) is traditional; spearmint is a reasonable substitute
• •30 g (2 tbsp chopped) fresh chives or scallion greens
• •2 tbsp olive oil, or Peruvian vegetable oil
• •1 tbsp fresh lime juice, from 1 to 2 limes
• •1 tsp red wine vinegar, optional, to brighten
• •1 g (¼ tsp) fine salt, adjust to taste, especially since cheese adds salt
• •0.5 g (¼ tsp) freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. 1 Bring a small pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add the shelled lima beans and cook at a gentle simmer for 12 to 18 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. They are properly cooked when a bean crushes easily between your thumb and finger but does not turn to mush. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and let cool to room temperature.
2. 2 While the beans cook, prepare the vegetables: finely dice the red onion and place it in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes to mellow its sharpness, then drain well.
3. 3 Core and finely dice the tomatoes. Seed the ají amarillo and finely chop it. Chop the parsley, huacatay or mint, and chives.
4. 4 Cut the queso fresco into roughly 1 cm (about ½ inch) cubes; set aside so it stays cool.
5. 5 In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar (if using), salt and pepper.
6. 6 Add the cooled lima beans, drained onion, tomatoes, ají, parsley, huacatay and chives to the bowl. Toss gently.
7. 7 Add the cubed cheese last and fold through carefully so it does not crumble. Taste and adjust salt and lime.
8. 8 Cover and chill for 15 minutes to let the flavors marry. Serve cold or at cool room temperature, ideally the same day it is made so the herbs stay bright and the cheese keeps its shape.