Grilled Smashed Potatoes

When cooking a main dish over a grill set up for indirect heat, I'm often left in a quandary over what to do for a side. With half the grill taken and the lid needing to stay closed, I find myself left with two options—make a side off the grill or find something that can be grilled in the few minutes after the main is done and before it gets cold. The later scenario isn't always an easy one to tackle, leaving quick-grilling foods like asparagus and summer squash over used, but I've found with these smashed potatoes, a combo of cooking off and on the grill can be a great way to go.

While I had a planked pork tenderloin going on the grill, I boiled a pot of small potatoes until tender. Once cooled enough to handle, I gave them a light smash following by a brush of olive oil and sprinkling of salt, pepper, and rosemary. When the pork was done and set to rest, the potatoes went on the grill, and over direct heat, got a nice crisp crust in just about five minutes per side, finishing at the exact right time the meat was ready to slice.

Just because these were pretty quick and simple to put together, didn't make them any less impressive. The crackling of the skin was a great contrast to the creamy innards, with the rosemary adding a nice fragrance and flavor. The best was when a nice piece of charred potato skin was mixed in, giving a just a hint of grill.