Lukewarm colorful vegetable salad

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 bell peppers, red and yellow
• 1 onion(s)
• 3 m.-sized carrot(s)
• 150 g beans, green
• 150 g cauliflower
• 12 olives, black
• 10 tomatoes, dried in oil
• 2 tbsp capers
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard, medium hot
• ½ tsp sugar
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Wash and clean all the vegetables. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and cut the carrots into slices about 5 mm thick. Clean, peel, and cut the bell peppers into bite-sized pieces. If you like, you can leave the skin on; we prefer them peeled. Finely dice the onion. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Place the onions in a glass or porcelain bowl, drizzle with a little oil, and microwave for 1 minute at 600 W; this will reduce some of the spiciness. Fry the bell peppers in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 2-3 minutes; they should be lightly cooked but still firm to the bite. Place them in a large bowl with the onions. Cook the cauliflower in a little lightly salted water for 5-6 minutes; all the vegetables should be just cooked through but still have a bit of a bite. Remove the cauliflower florets with a slotted spoon and add them to the bowl. Cook the carrots in the cauliflower water for 4-5 minutes, then add them to the bowl with a slotted spoon. Allow the cooking water to reduce slightly, then transfer to another container and set aside. Cook the beans in fresh, well-salted water for about 8 minutes, then drain, cut into approximately 3 cm long pieces, and add to the other vegetables. Combine about 3 tablespoons of the reserved vegetable stock in a tall container with the vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard and whisk with a hand blender. Add about 3 tablespoons of oil in a thin stream while continuing to whisk. Season the dressing to taste and add to the vegetables. Add the olives, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes and mix everything gently. Season again to taste and serve while still lukewarm. Note: When preparing this salad, I don’t slavishly adhere to the specified cooking times, but stay at the stove and taste the vegetables again and again. I like to make sure they are cooked to perfection; then this salad is a delight.