Irish Potato Skins Recipes

SERIOUS POTATO SKINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub the potatoes lightly with olive oil and bake them on a foil-lined baking sheet until their skins are crisp and a fork easily slides into their flesh, about 1 hour. Transfer the potatoes to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.
• While the potatoes are cooking, assemble the toppings. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, then transfer to a small bowl. Reserve the bacon fat. Grate the cheese into a small bowl; you should have about 2 cups. Trim and thinly slice the scallions. (Feeling frisky? Caramelize some onions. Shred some ham or grate some Gruyère.)
• Using an oven mitt or a folded kitchen towel to handle the hot potatoes, cut each into quarters lengthwise to create four wedges. Using a small spoon, scoop the flesh from each wedge, leaving 1/4 inch or more of the flesh. (Save the scooped potatoes for another use, like potato pancakes or soup.)
• Set the oven to broil. Return the wedges to the foil-lined baking sheet. Paint a bit of bacon fat on each, then top with cheese and bacon. Place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling. Place the skins on a serving plate. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon a teaspoon or so of sour cream on each and scatter the scallions over the plate. Serve with hot sauce.

IRISH POTATO SKINS

Steps:

• Clean potatoes and pierce the ends with a fork.
• Place the potatoes (two at a time) in the microwave to cook for 3 minutes or until soft.
• Split the potatoes and scoop half of the inside out with a spoon.
• Season with seasoning salt, onion salt, black pepper, butter, crushed red pepper and minced garlic and place in oven at 400F for 10 minutes.
• Remove and place crushed cooked bacon on potatoes with a layer of half of your cheese and then sour cream.
• Place back in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove and top with the remaining cheese, black pepper (to taste) and any remaining bacon.
• If potatoes are drying out, top with olive oil and place back in oven for 10 minutes.
• Cool for a few minutes and serve (preferably with football on the television and a beer in one hand).

LOADED POTATO SKINS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the baking potatoes on a baking tray. Prick all over with a fork and rub with a little oil. Cook potatoes in oven for 1 hr until golden and cooked all the way through. Remove from oven. Allow potatoes to cool for 15 mins.
• While potatoes are cooking, heat 1 tsp oil in a medium frying pan and fry the bacon for 5-8 mins until crisp. Leave to cool, then transfer to a board and finely chop.
• Cut the slightly cooled potatoes in half and scoop the flesh from the skin into a large bowl, leaving a little around the edges. Put the skins back on the baking tray, scooped side up.
• Mash the potato flesh and soured cream together using a fork or masher. Stir in the cooled bacon, most of the spring onion or chives and half of the cheddar. Season to taste.
• Divide the potato mixture evenly between the cavities of the potato skins. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over each filled potato half. Return the potatoes to the oven for 20 mins until golden and bubbling.
• Sprinkle over the remaining spring onion or chives and serve hot.

HOMEMADE POTATO SKINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Rub potatoes with olive oil and place on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh, leaving 1/4 inch on the skin. Brush canola oil all over the potato skins, outside and inside, and sprinkle with salt. Reserve flesh for another use.
• Bake skins in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Flip and continue to bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven. Turn on the oven's broiler.
• Meanwhile, place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels; crumble.
• Arrange the potato skins flesh-side up on a roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with pepper, Cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven and broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Add a dollop of sour cream to each skin and sprinkle with green onions.