Broad Bean and Olive Salad

This light yet filling salad helped single men in Peru stay slim while searching for a wife. It makes a delicious lunch dish: bursting with flavour and wonderfully colourful.

Method

Place all the potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Place the pan over high heat and bring the water to the boil. Add salt and cook the potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes), drain and leave to cool. Cut them into cubes or thick slices.

Bring another pan of water to the boil over high heat. Add salt, then add the broad beans and choclo or regular corn kernels and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk the olive oil and white wine vinegar together with the rocoto paste (recipe follows) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley leaves and red onion and set aside. (Store any leftover dressing in a sterilised jam jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)

Place the potatoes, broad beans and corn kernels in a bowl with the cherry tomatoes, olives and julienned pepper. Add the cheese, pour over the dressing and stir to combine. Finally, sprinkle with a few rings of spring onion.

Rocoto paste
To make the rocoto paste, heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 8–10 minutes until soft, then add the chillies and garlic and fry for a further 2–3 minutes to soften. Leave to cool, then blend in a small food processor or with a stick blender until smooth.

Title: Andina
Author: Martin Morales
Publisher: Fontaine Uitgevers
Price: €21.99