Herbed Potato and Shishito Pepper Salad

What do I make that will go well with pizza? We have three pizzas going, cheese and pepperoni, a margarita with fresh basil and a buffalo mozzarella, pesto and grilled zucchini pie. Three pies for three distinct appetites..G eats the pepperoni, I have the margharita and Shauna gobbles up the grilled zucchini pizza. I let the pizza stone heat up for a half hour, which gives these pizzas a super-crisp crust. And while the stone heats I grill small, halved Yukon Golds and a bunch of shishito peppers, the fixings for a quick salad.

Small boiled Yukon Gold potatoes are the ideal tater. They taste buttery and soft. Grilled, the outsides blacken, keeping the insides warm and crumbly. Shishito peppers benefit from a char. I spear two skewers through a bunch of peppers, making it really easy to turn them on the grill. What I like about these peppers is that not all of them are spicy. Then you bite into one and your tongue is assaulted! They have a delicate smoky flavor from the grill.  Piled onto a platter and smothered with herbs and a fruity olive oil this combination looks just delicious.

GRILLED POTATO AND PEPPER SALAD 

Serves 3-4

10 small yellow Potatoes ( preferably Yukon Gold )

10 Shishito Peppers 

1/2 cup mixed fresh Herbs ( Parsley, Oregano, Thyme, Basil, Rosemary )

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil 

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper

Boil potatoes till just cooked. Drain and cool. Cut each potato lengthwise in half.

Heat gas grill to 500F. Alternately grill potatoes and peppers on an indoor grill.

Spear shishito peppers onto two parallel skewers. This makes turning them on the grill a breeze.

Smear cut potatoes with a little olive oil and salt.

Place them cut side down on the grill. Grill for 5-7 minutes or till you have grill marks on potatoes. 

Flip potatoes to grill outer sides. 

Place skewer on grill and cook for 5-7 minutes on one side. Flip skewer to grill other sides of peppers.

Remove potatoes and peppers onto a plate.

Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch half moons.

Chop peppers into 1 inch pieces. 

Mound potatoes and peppers on a serving platter.

Roughly chop herbs and scatter over potatoes. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle olive oil over salad. Toss a bit and serve. 

Thin crusted pizzas cater to finicky palates. We love the herbaceous taste of the salad. With each bite you get the taste of buttery potato, spicy pepper, fresh cut herbs and fruity olive oil. We eat both simultaneously.  The salad pleases us all!

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