Loaded Potato Skins

A great twist on a jacket potato – these delicious loaded potato skins are ideal served as a light lunch. You can prepare them in advance and then just pop them back in the oven and heat through when needed. You can also make these using sweet potatoes; they make a tasty change.

Ingredients

4 medium baking potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
8 slices smoked streaky bacon - chopped
2 tbsp double cream
200g Gruyere cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped parsley - to serve

Information

Serves: 4

Diet: Gluten and Wheat Free

Cuisine: British

Type: Lunch

Method

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 90 mins

Heat oven to 200°C, 180°C fan, gas mark 6.

Wash and scrub the potatoes clean. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then rub the skins with half the oil, sea salt and some black pepper. Bake the potatoes on a baking tray in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, until their skins are crispy and they are tender when a knife is inserted.

In a frying pan, heat some oil and add the chopped bacon and fry until just crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain.

Halve the potatoes lengthways and scoop out most of the potato into a bowl. Mash the potato with the remaining butter and the double cream, salt and pepper. Mix in the bacon and ¾ of the cheese and some parsley. Spoon the mixture back into the potato skins and top with the remaining cheese.

Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is golden. Garnish with the remaining parsley to serve. I like to serve these with baked beans and carrot and cucumber batons.

If you want to prepare these in advance, once the potato skins have been re-filled and topped with cheese, they can be refrigerated. Cook them in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes from chilled.

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