Grilled Fingerling Potato Salad with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Crisp potatoes and rings of red onions are tossed hot off the grill with tender kernels of corn, cherry tomatoes, and spicy Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette. We use Rosefirs and Russian Bananas here—fingerling potatoes grown for us at Green Gulch Farm—but any variety of potato will do. For added smoky flavor, we throw the jalapenos for the vinaigrette right on the grill. If you don't have time to light up an outdoor grill, just roast the potatoes and grill the onions and jalapeños on a stovetop grill instead.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes

• Garlic Oil

• Salt and pepper

• 1 ear of corn, shaved, about 1 cup kernels

• 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings

• Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette

• 1/2 pint ripe, little cherry tomatoes, cut in half

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Garlic Oil:

• 1/2 Cup olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Jalapeno-Lime Vinaigrette:

• (Makes about 2/3 cup)

• 2 or 3 grilled jalapeno chilies, peeled and seeded

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• A pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Prepare the grill.

3. Toss the potatoes in a baking dish with 1 1/2 tablespoons of garlic oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cover and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half on the diagonal.

4. White the potatoes are roasting, heat 1/2 tablespoon garlic oil in a small sauté pan. Add the corn and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat for 1 minutes. Add a little water, lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

5. Brush the potatoes, onions, and chilies lightly with garlic oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the potatoes until they're evenly marked, 4 to 5 minutes. Grill the onions until softened and evenly marked, about 3 minutes on each side. Grill the chilies until the skin is charred and blistered, about 2 minutes. Place the chilies in a covered bowl to steam for about 5 minutes.

6. Make the vinaigrette.

7. Coarsely chop the onion and place in a large bowl with the potatoes, corn, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Toss with the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garlic Oil

1. Mince a few garlic cloves and cover with extra-virgin olive oil. You can use the oil right away or let it steep 30 minutes to create a more intense garlic flavor. We add 1 tablespoon minced garlic to every 1/2 cup of olive oil, but it's up to you. Use as little or as much as you like.

2. Strain out the garlic and store the oil in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette

Combine everything but the cayenne in a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with cayenne.

Tip: When corn is exceptionally sweet and tender, you can toss the shaved kernels right into the salad without sautéing them. You can also grill the corn on the cob - along with the potatoes, onions, and chilies - and then cut off the kernels.