Irish (Potato Skin) Nachos

There's nothing Irish about these, except of course for the association of Ireland with potatoes. As far as I can see they originated as bar food in Texas. However, they make a nice light lunch with soup or salad, or serve them as an hors d'oevre or appetizer.

Basically, these are stuffed potato skins with nacho toppings. You can put on them whatever you would normally put on nachos. I tried to keep it reasonably light, although I just couldn't pass up on some sour cream.

I call for russet potatoes, which are your classic baking potato. I actually used red skinned potatoes, on account of how I have a 75 pound bag* of them in the basement. They worked fine, and were very well received.

4 servings
2 hours - 30 minutes prep time


4 or 5 large russet potatoes

1/4 cup olive oil
150 grams (1/3 pound) Monterey jack cheese
- ideally with Jalapeno peppers in it
1 cup prepared salsa (you did can some salsa last summer, right?)
5 or 6 button mushrooms, sliced
sliced pickled peppers or green olives or other nacho toppings if you like
about 1/4 cup sour cream

Wash and prick the potatoes with a fork, and bake them at 400°F for about 1 hour, until well done.

Let them cool enough to handle, and cut them in quarters lengthwise. As you work, cut out most of the potato flesh - at least three-quarters - and set it aside for another use. Put the skins on a large baking tray.

Brush the skins, both sides, with the oil. Put them back into the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes, to brown a little. They should be spread out in a single layer.

Meanwhile, slice the cheese and mushrooms. When the potato skins are ready, top each with a slice of cheese, a teaspoon or so of salsa, and a mushroom slice or whatever other toppings you are using. Return the potato skins to the 400°F oven for 5 or 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Pile them up on a plate and dab them with the sour cream.

Enjoy! Get 'em while they're hot.





*For which I paid the ridiculous sum of $10. Somebody needs to take those Mennonite farmers aside and introduce them to the concept of "inflation".