Asparagus and Potato Salad with Manchego

      
     We left San Francisco and headed south on Highway 1.  The first night was spent in Half Moon Bay, and for dinner we overlooked the Pacific ocean from Sam's Chowder House.  One of the specials at the restaurant that night was a salad of Yukon gold potatoes, asparagus and Manchego cheese drizzled with a grainy mustard vinaigrette which I ordered (along with a bowl of New England Clam Chowder, of course).  I recreated that salad on my return home.

                      + Asparagus and Potato Salad with Manchego Cheese +

The ingredients below are an approximation.  Feel free to add more (or less), as you please.
• 8 small Yukon gold potatoes
• small bunch of fresh asparagus
• 1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon capers
• Manchego cheese
Mustard Vinaigrette:
• 2 teaspoons good quality, grainy mustard
• 2 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.  Whisk together the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl.  Add the olive oil while whisking to combine.  Season with salt and pepper
Salad:
1.  Boil the potatoes until tender; drain.  When cool enough to handle, peel the skins from the potatoes and slice into 1/4-inch slices.
2.  Trim the asparagus and cut into 2-inch lengths.  Bring a saucepan of salted,cold water to a boil; add the asparagus and cook until tender, approximately 4 minutes.  Drain and rinse the asparagus in cold water.  Wrap asparagus in a kitchen towel; set aside.
3.  On a large plate or in a shallow bowl, begin layering the salad with several potato slices, several asparagus pieces, and a scattering of red onion; sprinkle with some of the chopped dill and drizzle the salad with some of the mustard vinaigrette.  Repeat the layering of vegetables and drizzling of the vinaigrette.  Top the layered salad with the capers and using a vegetable peeler, make large shards of Manchego cheese to toss on top of the vegetables.

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