Email to Cat      

Crispy Potato Skins

Source of Recipe

From "In the Kitchen with David" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"You know, I've never met a potato I didn't like. But when the skin of a potato is baked until it's crispy, crunchy, and toasty and then filled with two of my favorite ingredients—cheese and bacon—it can rival a bowl of mashed potatoes any day. Add the cheese, don't skimp on the bacon, and don't forget that fresh rosemary. As soon as you taste the first bite, you'll be saying, 'Mashed what?"

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 medium baking potatoes
â—¦ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ½ pound bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
â—¦ 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush and pierce each one several times with a fork. Bake until the skins are crisp and a knife goes easily through the flesh, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Leave the oven on.

Because the potatoes will be very hot, use a towel or oven mitt to protect your hands. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving about â…› inch of the potato flesh attached to the skin. (Don't discard all that good potato; mash the pulp with a little butter and milk and save for another use.)

Brush the inside of each potato skin with some olive oil. Sprinkle on the rosemary and a few grinds of pepper. Top each one with some crumbled bacon, Cheddar, and salt. Arrange the skins on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until crisp. Serve immediately with the sour cream on the side.

Makes 8 servings