That being said, I'm not a snowshoe girl, and I rarely make an appearance in front of my grill until the trees start budding, and the birds start chirping...sorry dad! So, when I was staring at the pork tenderloin that sat lonely in my fridge, I needed to decide what kind of sides I wanted to prepare with it, and I immediately went to the guru of grilling himself (no not my dad, although he'll argue otherwise), Bobby Flay.
I have referenced his Grilling for Life book before, and I went straight to this book again to choose which starch would accompany my grilled pork tenderloin. This day, I chose the Grilled New Potatoes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli and Chives. Although aiolis typically are high in fat because of the mayonnaise, it's important to remember to choose an olive oil based mayo, and to substitute part of the measurement with plain non-fat Greek yogurt. Although it can be a little tart, the texture remains the same, and very little change occurs in the delicious taste.
Grilled New Potatoes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli and Chives
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 lbs. small New Potatoes, unpeeeled
1/2 c. olive oil based Mayonnaise
1/4 c. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. chives, finely chopped
Directions:
1. In a large pot of salted water, boil the potatoes until just cooked through but not completely soft, 10-15 minutes depending on size. Test by piercing a potato with a thin bamboo skewer; when the skewer meets some resistance but can slide all the way through, the potatoes are ready. Drain the potatoes and set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Combine the mayo, Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, zest, 1/4 tsp. of salt and pepper each, and place in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Heat your grill to high.
4. Cut the potatoes in half, brush the cut sides with olive oil, and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Grill the potatoes cut side down until golden brown and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes.
5. Place the potatoes on a platter, drizzle with the aioli, and sprinkle with the chives. Serve warm.
Comments:
I absolutely LOVED this dish! I am a huge fan of citrus, especially when it's not overpowering. The lemon-garlic aioli adds a nice, light flavor to the dish, and brings a new characteristic to these starchy potatoes. The pictures that you see above are not a serving for six, so don't be surprised when you make this dish and it seems like you have a ton of potatoes. The full recipe is a great idea for cookouts, where you'll have more than a few guests over to enjoy your lighter, cleaner version of a potato salad.
I also chose to toss my potatoes in the aioli itself, rather than just drizzling the sauce on top. I did this to ensure even coverage, and because I wanted to avoid having one potato with a ton of flavor, and one that barely had any. This is a great example of how you can modify whatever recipe you're making to tailor your food preferences. Appearance wise, placing the potatoes on a platter, drizzling them with aioli, and then topping them with sprinkled chives, I'm sure looks beautiful and amazing. However, you can make the choice as to how you would like to present your fancy potato salad to your arriving guests.
