Memorial Day weekend has always been one of my favorite holidays, and I actually prefer it to the hectic nature of the Fourth of July. It marks the beginning of the summer season for me, which means longer days, warmer nights and outside grilling. In my family it is usually more of a working weekend when we head up to our camp on a lake in the Adirondacks and get ready for the summer ahead. Living out in California, I haven’t gotten back for the family work weekend in a couple of years (sorry, Mom & Dad!), but I do keep the tradition by using this weekend to clean up the grills, tidy up the outdoor furniture and get the backyard ready for summer fun.

A working weekend doesn’t usually revolve around fancy grilling, so I like to fire up old-school favorites like burgers, hot dogs or sausages. Sides are usually something simple like grilled veggies, a salad and roasted potatoes. This warm grilled potato salad recipe is perfect for a working weekend lunch. It’s easy to throw together and can be grilled up quickly. Finishing it off with a bit of purslane and blue cheese adds a little complexity without much work.

If you haven’t had purslane before, you are in for a treat. If you are an avid gardener, you might recognize it as the persistent weed that can take over your garden. My introduction to purslane was at Dona Tomas, one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area. Since then I have been able to pick up a bunch regularly at the farmer’s market from late May into October. With a sweet, lemony flavor and a super-high content of Omega-3 fatty acids, purslane is a great substitute for spinach and other leafy greens. It’s too tough and woody to be eaten raw, but perfect when cut into bite-size pieces and slightly cooked.

If you don’t have access to purslane, spinach or arugula will work great but the technique will be a bit different; you’ll want to wait until after the potatoes have come off the grill and then mix in the spinach or arugula – this will gently wilt them.

I sent this recipe to my mom and recommended that she blanch the potatoes during breakfast, allow to cool, and then throw them into the refrigerator (this way they’ll be all set to grill at lunch). As far as potatoes go, any small, waxy variety will do. I used a red and blue potato for a bit of a festive touch.

Memorial Day Potatoes
(Serves 4)

• 2 pounds red & blue potatoes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 bunch purslane, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Blanch the potatoes in their jackets in simmering salted water; the surface of the water should be slightly bubbling but not enough to move the potatoes around the pot. Cook until tender (a fork should pierce the potato but still offer a bit of resistance). Remove from the water and allow the potatoes to cool.

When cool enough to handle, cut into quarters (you can refrigerate at this point if serving later). Place the potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle over olive oil and a generous pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Use your hands to combine ingredients thoroughly.

Lay out a large piece of foil and add the potatoes to the center. Lift up the edges of the foil so the potatoes are secure. Place the foil onto a grill over medium heat. Grill for about 12-15 minutes, stirring and flipping the potatoes every few minutes (complete other tasks while they cook). When the potatoes are starting to get slightly charred and crispy, add the purslane and allow to wilt. Turn off the heat and finish by adding the blue cheese, using tongs to mix it in so it melts evenly. Plate and serve hot.