Potato Skins

 

Baked crispy, cheesy potato skins are topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. Enjoy this simple appetizer.

 

Ingredients

6 medium russet potatoes

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

6 slices bacon

4 ounces grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

2 green onions, thinly sliced

 

Scrub the potatoes clean before baking them in your preferred technique, such as the oven or microwave. When using an oven, puncture the potatoes several times with a sharp knife or the prongs of a fork, rub with olive oil, and cook at 400°F for approximately an hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through and yield slightly when squeezed. When using a microwave, puncture the potato several times with a sharp knife or the prongs of a fork, massage with olive oil all around, and heat on high for around 5 minutes for each potato.

 

While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the bacon strips in a frying pan over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, but only until crisp. Using paper towels, drain. Allow cooling. Crumble.

 

Scoop out the insides of the potatoes by cutting them in half.

Retrieve the potatoes from the oven and set them aside to chill until they are safe to handle. Make a horizontal cut in half. Spoon out the insides with a spoon, reserving the scooped potatoes for later use, keeping approximately 1/4 inch of potato on the skin.

 

The potato skins should be baked.

Raise the temperature of the oven to 450°F. Spray or massage olive oil on both the exterior and inside of the potato skins. Season with salt. Set in a roasting pan on a baking rack. Heat for 10 minutes on one side, then turn and heat for another 10 minutes on the other. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to touch.

 

Bake for another 5 minutes after adding the cheese and bacon.

Place the potato skins on the roasting pan or rack, skin side down. Season the inside with freshly ground black pepper, cheddar cheese, and bacon crumbs. Transfer the dish to the oven. Broil for 2 minutes more, just until the cheese is bubbling. Take out of the oven.

 

To serve, top with sour cream and green onions.

Place the skins on a serving platter with tongs. To each skin, add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions. Serve