Red Potato and Tomato Salad

 

Isn't this a pretty salad?

Not your average potato salad....

but it's not trying to be.

I originally saw a version of this recipe on the Food Network.

With a few tweaks I made it fit for my family.

Why not try it yourself.

Your family may like it too!

This is how I made it.

I scrubbed a pound and a half of small red potatoes.

I cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces, put them in a saucepan and covered them with water. I boiled the potatoes until just tender ~ about 15 minutes. (The potatoes should not be too soft, or they will get mushy and become more of a mashed potato salad.)

 While the potatoes were cooking I gathered the remainder of the ingredients; 1 pint of grape tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of capers, lemon zest, salt and pepper, flat leaf parsley, a shallot, and olive oil.

I prepared the ingredients by rinsing and draining the capers, zesting the lemon, slicing the grape tomatoes in half, chopping the flat leaf parsley, and dicing the shallot.

When the potatoes were done I drained them and put them in a bowl with the tomatoes, capers, lemon zest, parsley and shallots. Then I doused it with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled salt and pepper on top. I gave it a good stir to distribute all the ingredients and tasted it until I was happy with the amount of salt and pepper and oil. I refrigerated this for about an hour so this would be a cold salad, but it tasted good warm too!

I served it with my Lemon Ginger Fish and Vegetables in a Packet recipe. It was a tasty and colorful addition to the plate.

This is the official recipe for Red Potato and Tomato Salad adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' recipe on the Food Network:

1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered or halved depending on size

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

zest of 1 large lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Boil potatoes until just tender; drain.

In a large bowl, combine first 7 ingredients.

Stir to combine.

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve warm or cold.

What is the taste tester's bottom line?

GoodMan and I really liked this recipe. It doesn't take the place of a mayo-based potato salad, but it's really not meant to. It is a good, fresh-tasting, colorful side dish.

The bottom line: This recipe goes into the "keeper" file. I'll keep this in mind for potlucks, summer picnics, and simple dinners.