2 TERRIFIC SALAD SIDES: 3 BEAN SALAD AND POTATO SALAD WITH SWEET RED PEPPER AND ONION

2 Terrific Salad Sides: 3 Bean Salad and Potato Salad with Sweet Red Pepper and Onion image

Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network

Time 30m

Yield 8 servings of each salad

Number Of Ingredients 18

16 new red potatoes
Coarse salt, for boiling water
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, eyeball the amount
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, eyeball the amount
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound fresh green beans, washed and cut into 1/3
2 rounded teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, eyeball the amount
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball the amount
1 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Place red potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Place pot on stove, cover and bring to a boil. Liberally salt water with coarse salt. Place a colander over boiling pot. Take your first ingredient from the bean salad, 1/2 pound cut fresh green beans, and place them in the colander. Cover the colander with pot lid. Steam beans 5 minutes while potatoes boil below. Remove beans and cold shock under running water. Drain green beans and set aside.
When the potatoes are just tender, about 12 minutes, remove from heat, turn off burner, drain potatoes and cold shock them under running water until just cool enough to handle. Coarsely chop potatoes and return them to the warm pot. Add peppers, onions, mint, parsley and vinegar to the pot. Toss to allow the vinegar to absorb into the potatoes. Add oil and stir the potatoes until they mash up a bit and salad has a spoonable consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a serving bowl.
In a bowl, combine mustard, sugar and vinegar. Whisk in oil. Add kidney beans, garbanzo beans, green beans and parsley to the bowl and toss to coat bean salad evenly with dressing. Season salad with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.