Potato Salad with Red Pepper and Asparagus

Don’t get me wrong, I love the classic potato salad and it’s creamy mayo happy mix with egg, and just a few tiny crunchy veggies, but sometimes it’s nice to have a change from the ordinary, right?  This simple potato salad certainly fits the bill.  It is not your typical potato salad; it’s chock full of crisp veggies, and mayo free which makes it perfect for picnics or outdoor summer activities.

When asparagus is out of  out of season, you could easily sub in green beans instead.  If you wanted to take it a step further, a handful or two of crisp, crumbly bacon on top of the finished salad would be pretty tasty too.

 

Potato Salad with Red Pepper and Asparagus

Adapted slightly from Dinosaur Bar B Que An American Roadhouse
 
If asparagus is out of season, you could sub in green beans instead.  
 
Vegetables
1 1/2 pounds of new red potatoes
1 pound/bunch asparagus
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4″ slices and then into bite-size pieces 
1/2 cup sliced red onion, cut into 1/4″ slices and then into bite-size pieces 
 
Dressing
5 tablespoons creole or spicy brown mustard
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced  
6 tablespoons olive oil
Tabasco sauce 
 

Scrub any dirt from the potatoes and cook in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain, and let cool slightly until easy to handle. Cut potatoes into 3/4″ cubes and place them into a mixing bowl large enough to fit all of the ingredients.

Snap bottoms of asparagus stalks. Add asparagus to a shallow pan of simmering, salted water and cook until crisp-tender; cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Drain, then shock asparagus in an ice water until cool. Drain and pat dry.  Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces and toss in bowl with potatoes. Add peppers and onions to the potatoes and asparagus.

For the dressing, whisk all ingredients together, except for the olive oil and Tabasco. While whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil to make a creamy dressing.  Add Tabasco and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Add half of the dressing to the potatoes and veggies, and toss gently.  Add in additional dressing to your liking.  I used all but a few tablespoons of dressing; left over dressing can be saved for another use. Serve salad immediately for best color on the asparagus.


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