Diverse potato recipes making menus and news

VALLEY — Summer has begun, and it just might be the season of the spud!

From grilling favorites to the staple summer salad, potatoes are making menus and headlines alike.

Salads are the star as of late, and publications are eager to plus up readers’ usual potato salad recipes. For starters, the Huffington Post cut right to the chase with a roundup of potato salad recipes and encourages readers to step out of their potato salad comfort zone. Recipes in the round up include a Lemony Roasted Potato Salad, a Warm Bacon Potato Salad, a Honey Mustard Potato Salad and more!

The Today Show Online brought in a pop of potato color with a Purple Peruvian Potato Salad while TheKitchn.com  shared The Most Popular Potato Salad Recipe on Pinterest, a veggie forward and colorful dish not unlike the Southwest Potato Salad on PotatoGoodness.com.

SouthernLiving.com upped the ante even more with its Grilled Potato Salad, calling it “the better way to make potato salad.” And speaking of the BBQ, Delish.com got to grilling with this recent recipe for Grilled Ranch Potatoes, a kabob dish fit for any upcoming summer celebration.

Lastly, CookingLight.com brought a potato dinner dish to life in a recipe for Chimichurri Roasted Chicken and Potatoes.

For more summertime tater dishes, try a few PotatoGoodness.com favorites like Grilled Potato Kabobs, Yellow Potato Planks, Potato and Arugula Salad and more.

Grilled Potato Kabobs

Lemon Herb Drizzle

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as basil, rosemary, marjoram and sage)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Potato Kabobs

1 lb. of your favorite potatoes (any type), scrubbed

1 (12-oz.) package precooked chicken sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick on the diagonal

2 ears fresh corn, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick on the diagonal

Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 20 min

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan until very hot; remove from heat and stir in garlic.

Let cool, then stir in herbs, salt, lemon juice and pepper; set aside.

Place potatoes in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Note: If using plastic wrap, make sure plastic wrap is not touching any ingredients and poke one small hole in cover to vent.

Microwave on high for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender (cooking time may vary depending on microwave). Use oven mitts to carefully remove from microwave.

When cool enough to handle, cut into large chunks. Thread potatoes, sausage and vegetables onto skewers.

Grill over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, turning frequently and brushing with a little of the herb mixture during the last few minutes of cooking.

Remove from grill and place on a platter; drizzle with remaining herb mixture.

Yellow Potato Planks

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 lbs. (about 4) unpeeled yellow potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices.

Prep Time: 5 min. Cook Time: 18 min

Preheat grill.

Combine oil, garlic, rosemary and salt in dish.

Add potato slices and turn until well coated.

Grill potatoes for 8 minutes or until soft.

Turn and continue grilling 10 minutes longer or until cooked through.

Remove from grill and serve.

Potato and Arugula Salad

1 lb. small potatoes, sliced in half

drizzle of olive oil, for roasting/grilling

salt, pepper

juice of 1/2 a small lemon

a few big handfuls of arugula (about 3 oz.)

2 tablespoons pickled onions

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Quick pickled red onions

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

a few generous pinches of salt

Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves chopped garlic

juice of 1/2 a small lemon

Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 30 min

Slice potatoes in half, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the onion slices with sherry vinegar and salt. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

Heat a grill pan* to high heat and brush with oil.

Place the potatoes, cut side down and let them cook without moving them until nice char marks start to form (flip one to check). After one side is well cooked, flip them and add a good squeeze of lemon juice. C

ontinue cooking until potatoes are roasted on the outside and tender in the middle. Reduce heat and cover if necessary. (If using a grill pan without a lid, you can cover it with a small baking sheet).

Small 1” potatoes should cook for a total of approx. 20-25 minutes.

Transfer warm cooked potatoes to the large bowl and toss with the dressing.

Let cool to room temp and toss with arugula, pickled onions, capers, chives and lemon zest.

Taste and add more dressing to your liking.

Serve at room temp, or make ahead and chill.

*If using an outdoor grill, you may need a pan or grill basket so the potatoes don’t fall through the grates. You could also could boil your potatoes or roast them in the oven.