St. Patrick's Day Recipe: Irish Potato Skins

When one thinks of Irish cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is potatoes. Well, maybe Guinness is the very first thing we think of but potatoes are definitely right up there. Potatoes are ingrained in Irish culture as much as St. Patrick himself, so it would be downright un-Irish to let a St. Patrick's Day celebration go by without feasting on potatoes in some form.

This St. Patrick's Day, many across the U.S. will be feasting on the traditional corned beef and cabbage, boiled with carrots and potatoes. If you don't have the hours necessary to make the big dinner, these Irish Potato Skins are an easy twist on both traditional potato skins and corned beef and cabbage by using deli corned beef instead of bacon and a white Irish cheddar. Irish Potato Skins go great with Guinness or even "green" beer and are a delicious way to satisfy your St. Patrick's Day partiers.

Irish Potato Skins Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 medium-sized Russet or Idaho potatoes
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound thinly sliced corned beef, coarsely chopped
• approximately 6 ounces Trader Joe's Irish White Cheddar Cheese with Caramelized Onions, shredded (or substitute sharp cheddar cheese)
• 1/2 cup sour cream for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse the potatoes under cool running water and scrub the skins well to remove all dirt and grit. Pierce the potatoes each several times with a fork. Bake them in the pre-heated oven for approximately 60 minutes or until a fork slides in and out of each potato easily. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool.
3. While the potatoes are baking, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chopped corned beef and "stir fry" a few minutes until the pieces begin to brown around the edges. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees.
5. Once the potatoes have cooled enough to handle them, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh leaving a 1/4-inch layer of potato flesh on the potato skins.
6. Drizzle some olive oil over the potato halves and carefully rub the oil all over the surface of each potato half, including the skin side. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
7. Place them on a baking sheet, cut side up, and bake for 10 minutes in the hot oven. Turn each half over, cut side down now, and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove potato skins from the oven and let cool slightly.
8. Sprinkle approximately 3/4 of the shredded cheese evenly over the tops (cut side up) of the potato skins.
9. Evenly divide the browned corned beef between the potato skins, mounding it in the cavity of each.
10. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar over the tops of each.
11. Set the oven to broil and place the loaded potato skins under the broiler for 1 - 2 minutes until the cheese becomes bubbly. Watch the potato skins closely while broiling as they will quickly burn if left unattended.
12. Remove from the oven, arrange on a serving platter, and top off each skin with a small dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle the chopped chives over the sour cream. Serve while warm. (Makes 12 potato skins.)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!