Musical pairing – Gimme Some Lovin’ by The Spencer Davis Group
I have never met a potato I didn’t like . . . wait . . . let me rephrase that . . . I have never met a potato I didn’t love. It must be part of my Irish heritage somewhere in my gene pool because I swear to the heavens above, you can place a chocolate-anything on the same table with a potato-anything and like a bloodhound on the scent of a ‘coon, I will choose the potato . . . every. single. time.
So when Carrie Vitt, food blogger and author of Deliciously Organic sent me a copy of her book to review, I flipped through the pages looking at the gorgeous photos but my eyes glazed over when I saw these potatoes . . . crispy grilled potatoes . . . terrific by themselves . . . but paired with tangy Lemon Aioli too??? Why yes, now that you mention it, I don’t mind if I do!
In Deliciously Organic, you’ll learn that while Carrie’s journey began for health reasons, the move to organic foods didn’t happen overnight; it was a slow process that began with lettuce and took almost a year and a half to make the transition complete. The book is not only filled with delicious recipes, it also includes a chapter of menu ideas, a chapter listing simple food swaps and another chapter on basic ‘how-tos’ – how to make mayonnaise, movie-theater popcorn, chocolate sauce and more.
There is nothing complicated about any of these recipes – they are straightforward, approachable and easy to make recipes with ingredients you will be able to find in most grocery stores; anything you might have trouble tracking down is listed in the resources section of the book. Recipes like these Roasted Chicken Wings, Carrot Souffles, Raspberry Almond Muffins, Louisiana Chicken Gumbo and Carrie’s mother’s famous Chocolate Chip Cookies; add the gorgeous photography by Helene of the blog Tartelette and you have a gem of a cookbook!
Spring has just arrived and I cannot wait to share these potatoes with friends at our next BBQ . . . but I may . . . ahem . . . have to put on a few extras . . . ‘cuz you never know if some bird will swoop in and steal a few . . .
GRILLED POTATOES WITH LEMON AIOLI
Deliciously Organic, Carrie Vitt
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) red baby potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half (I used Yukon Gold because that’s what I had on hand)
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
LEMON AIOLI:
- ¼ Cup Homemade Mayonnaise (recipe in the book) or Delouis Fils brand
- Juice from half a lemon
- 1 small clove garlic, minced (you may need more or less depending upon the strength of the clove)
- Pinch of sea salt
METHOD:
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring potatoes to a gentle boil and cook until a paring knife can pierce the potato easily, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour into a large baking dish.
- Preheat grill on high for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, using a pastry brush, brush the flat side of each potato with coconut oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn the grill down to medium-high and grill the potatoes flat-side-down until golden brown.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a small bowl; serve potatoes with aioli for dipping.
SMITH BITES NOTES: This is a terrific recipe for a crowd because (a) you can always adjust your amounts accordingly and (b) you can boil your potatoes ahead of time and grill them whenever you’re ready. The Lemon Aioli can be made ahead as well. And finally, I used Yukon Golds because that is what I had on hand.
These look divine!
Oh, heavens, there’s no way I could resist this. My three middle names are Aioli (blush), Mayonnaise (store bought Duke’s; blush again), and Lemon, and I can’t recall a properly home roasted potato I didn’t try to take seconds on. I’d be happy to skip the main course (and dessert too) with this dish around.
These were so hard to shoot…..because I could not stop nibbling at them 🙂 I did not have time to stop and make another batch due to my shooting list otherwise I totally would have 🙂
What a lovely post. Thank you so much!
my goodness these potatoes look delicious. aioli is aways good with potatoes. they’re the perfect married couple.
totally loving this dish .. potato is such a comforting food 🙂
Oooh, Debra, I love crispy potatoes like this and yours have me practically licking the screen. And with lemon aioli? Heaven! I just saw this book pop up on my amazon alert and didn’t give it a second look. Now I will! xo
You are so funny, Debra! Thank you for making me laugh when the rain outside is unrelenting (I think that one of these days I will grow gills!)
My mom has similar recipe for new potatoes, and it always reminds me of home (she does not grill hers after parboiling, but sautees them – same dif, they taste heavenly!)
My husband just adores them done this way. Yukon golds are my favorite kind of potato, but there are rarely available in our Persian store where we buy produce.
Your photos are stunning – I can almost smell those ‘taters from behind the screen. Thank you for the inspiration. I bet they will go wonderfully with the ribeyes husband bought today:)
(I did not mean to whine about our rainy weather when I know that you are getting snow; bring on the crocuses, Mother Nature!)
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I am a potato lover, too. I am going to make this dipping sauce. YUM! Of I am going to do the potatoes.
Any kind of potato is a comfort food for me. Oh this one roasted with the skin sounds so delicious, I could eat these all day!
These looks so delicious…love the ailoi 🙂
I’ve never wanted to eat a lead photo quite so badly in my life. Amazing! And Carrie is one of my favorite people ever. Will definitely be giving this recipe a shot.
I love potatoes in every shape and form. These look wonderful, I could eat a whole bag! 🙂
Those potatoes are making my mouth water. LOVE the presentation and the recipe!! Thanks both you and Carrie!
Soooo good to be back after taking (gulp) five weeks away from our blog. I think we’ve just demoted ourselves from food bloggers to “occasional recipe sharerers.” 😉
Have I shared with you I’m. A. Sucker. For. Potato. Anything… too? You put a spud against anything, anything… and I’ll pick Mr. Potato every single time. (I like most to augment with sea salt, butter, creme fraiche and garden chives.)
I’m also looking forward to getting my hot little hand’s on Carrie’s book – so jealous you’ve already reviewed a copy!
Happy week to you and The Professor.
[K]
Sounds like a marvelous cookbook!
These potatoes are making me very hungry! Love the lemon aioli!
Love lemon aioli with my roasted potatoes, too. I love the crunch of potato skins dipped in the deliciously tangy aioli. Love how you used the brown paper as your backdrop, too! Thank you for sharing!
I haven’t had a chance to cook from it, but I received a copy. Yes, of course I think the photography is beautiful – not biased at all. 😉 Can’t wait to cook from it. Regarding your note about potatoes, I am clearly Southern but my father was from Massachusetts. I have always loved potatoes and my dear grandmother told me that was the Yankee in me, liking potatoes over rice. Thanks for sharing! Best VA
Grilled potatoes with Lemon Aioli…how wonderful! I am with you, I will take a potato over a sweet any day of the week, especially when they are prepared this way!
I really shouldn’t look at these posts this early in the morning… because now my belly is grumbling. Looks great, D!!!
Yum yum yummers. Aioli just makes the world a better place to live in. I’m going to have to peep out that book too!
Coconut oil, eh? I’ve got a jar in my pantry that I bought for a granola recipe (which, BTW, totally kicked ass), but somehow it got typecast as something I’d use for sweets and baking.
Now I’m intrigued to try it with potatoes, because those gorgeous browned crusty ‘taters are totally calling my name. I bet they’d be awesome with a sprinkling of fresh rosemary, too.
Oh, la, la! Can’t wait to try these!
Aye, lassie, it’s the Irish in you all right 🙂 And I totally agree – I love potatoes. I could live on potatoes. Mashed, baked, fried, salads, hashed browns….geez I sound like Bubba Gump.
I am with you on the whole potato thing…guess it’s in our blood lol!
These look fantastic! The cookbook sounds wonderful as well, I will have to look for it! Thanks!!
I always ask that “what’s your favourite starch?” question – think it tells you a lot (me: rice!) I had an old boyfriend who was the same about potatoes – after a few potato free days, he’d NEED them, chippies, fried, roasted, whatever as long as they were spuds.
I could eat these everyday, three times a day. Or four.
We just may be related, cause I like chocolate, but a good potato can’t be beat.
I just went to a potato farm the other day. They had flavor and texture, it was wonderful! This looks like just the right recipe to honor the produce.
Count me in as another potato head, Debra. And I’ve gone straight to swoon with your approach of grilling these beauties and adding in a garlicky, lemony mayo as a dipping sauce. Just perfect!
I am with you Deb, I have never met a potato I didn’t love!! We are huge fans of roasted potatoes and I first tried them with a lemon infused aioli a few years ago and was smitten!!!
It just goes to show that good food doesn’t need to be complicated!!!
Oh those spuds sound so tasty and paired with a lemon aioli makes them all the better. A must try.
Doesn’t aioli just make everything taste better!
Simple and delicious potato recipe, Debra!
Mmm, those potatoes look good! I would take them over chocolate any day. Deliciously Organic sounds like a keeper!
OMG Debra I am drooooliiiing!!!! These potatoes look spectacular, crispy edges and I can taste the tender soft interior – grilled to perfection. Lemon Aioli -you are such a tease – your photos are amazing.
Yum! These potatoes look so good, and I love the addition of the aioli. I will absolutely have to make these when I finally have a chance to fire up the grill!
I’m with you… I LOVE potatoes. This looks and sounds delicious! 🙂
Oh my goodness but these potatoes look amazing. The crispiness and the salt and pepper are calling my name.