Grilled Red Potato And Smoked Ham Salad With Tomato Dressing

Directions

1. Make dressing: Preheat oven to 500 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Roast tomatoes on baking sheet in middle of oven 20 min. Cold tomatoes and peel. In a blender puree tomatoes and garlic with vinegar till smooth. With motor running, add in oil in a stream and blend till emulsified. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Dressing may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, coverd.
3. Make salad: Preheat grill or possibly grill pan.
4. Working in batches, cut potatoes into 1/8-inch thick rounds and in a large bowl toss with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Grill potato rounds in batches over moderate heat, turning them occasionally, till tender, about 10 min, and transfer them to another large bowl.
5. Alternatively, roast potatoes in a 450 degree oven: Arrange half of oiled potatoes, lightly overlapping, in 2 large shallow baking pans and roast in upper and lower thirds of oven, turning them occasionally, till golden brown and tender, about 15 min. Roast remaining potatoes in same manner.
6. Cut ham into 1- by 1/8-inch strips. Chop scallions and celery. In a dry small heavy skillet toast cumin seeds over moderate heat, stirring, till fragrant, about 30 seconds, and cold. In an electric coffee/spice grinder finely grind seeds. To potatoes add in cumin, ham, scallions, celery, and remaining salad ingredients.
7. Add in dressing to salad and toss to coat. Refrigeratesalad at least 4 hrs and up to 1 day.
8. This recipe yields 6 servings.