A gorgeous, sunny spring day, a rock scramble/hike in the woods with your honey, top down on the convertible on the way home – what could be better?  I’ll tell you what – the First Grill of the Season.  These grilled potatoes are fluffy inside, like a french fry, but crisp and smoky on the outside from the grill.  Serve with Flying Pigs Jamaican Jerk sausage, grilled bell pepper and ice cold Sam Adams.  Spring is a wonderful thing. 

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Herby Grilled Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 or 5 medium potatoes, about 2-3 lbs
• 4 tbsp (2 oz) butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, chives, thyme or any combination
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

METHODS

1. Prepare grill; if using a charcoal or wood fire, pile the coals to one side so the grill will have a cooler side.  If using a gas grill, cook potatoes on the upper shelf or keep heat on lower setting.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
3. Scrub potatoes well, and remove any blackened or dried area of peel (leave remaining peel on).  Slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices.  Add to boiling water and cook until just tender, but undercooked on the inside, about 8-10 minutes.
4. Drain carefully into a colander and lay out flat on a kitchen towel to dry. (Can be made up to 1 hour ahead).
5. Melt butter in a small skillet or saucepan.  Pour butter into a large bowl; add herbs, salt, pepper and potato slices.  Toss gently to combine and thoroughly coat each slice with herb-butter mixture.
6. Using tongs, place potato slices flat on the grill on the cooler side/shelf; cover grill and cook until nicely browned on one side, approximately 10 minutes.  Turn over and cook until tender inside and browned on both sides, about another 10 minutes. 
7. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper as necessary.  Enjoy!

OPTIONS

1. Experiment with spices, herbs, marinades; the potatoes need a little bit of fat to crisp up; butter, olive oil, mayonnaise, bacon grease – use your imagination. Almost anything goes with potato!
2. The longer you par-boil the potatoes, the less time you will need to put them on the grill (and, if mostly cooked by par-boiling, you can simply fire up the outsides over high heat instead of keeping one side of the grill cool).  However, the more you par-cook them, the more fragile they will be and the more difficult to transfer to the grill without breaking.  If you decide to par-cook until nearly done and grill for a short period of time, consider using a grill basket in case the potatoes fall apart on the grill.

STORE

These are best eaten hot off the grill; in the unlikely event that there are leftovers, they will make a great base for frittata if used within a couple of days.

SEASON

Grilling season!