‘It’s called solterito (unmarried) because this dish was once eaten only by unmarried men. Light but filling, the salad helped loveless bachelors stay svelte while searching for a wife.’

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 125g purple potatoes/regular floury potatoes

• 125g new potatoes

• 75g broad beans

• 75g choclo corn kernels or sweetcorn kernels

• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

• 8 peruvian botija olives or kalamata olives, halved

• 1 amarillo chilli or medium-heat red chilli, deseeded and julienned

• 75g queso fresco crumbled/cottage cheese

• 2 spring onions, very thinly sliced, to serve

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

• 75ml olive oil

• 50ml white wine vinegar

• ½tbsp rocoto pepper paste

• A few parsley leaves, finely torn

• ¼ small red onion, finely chopped

1. Put all the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Put on over a high heat and bring to boil. Salt the water and cook potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes), then drain and allow to cool. Cut into cubes or thick slices.

2. Bring another pan of water to the boil. Salt the water, then add the broad beans and choclo or sweetcorn and cook for three to four minutes until just tender. Drain and allow to cool.

3. Make the dressing. Whisk the olive oil and white wine vinegar together with the rocoto paste. Season with salt and pepper. Stir through the parsley and red onion, then set aside. (Store any leftover in the fridge for up to two weeks).

4. To assemble the salad, put the potatoes, broad beans and choclo or sweetcorn in a bowl with the cherry tomatoes, olives and julienned chili. Add the cheese, pour in the dressing and stir. Finally, decorate with a sprinkling of spring onions.

This recipe is from Martin Morales’ book Andina: The Heart of Peruvian Food (£27, Quadrille Publishing).