Bacon Cheddar Jalapeño Hasselback Potato Food

HASSELBACK POTATOES STUFFED WITH CHEDDAR AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Stir together butter and oil. Brush bottom of 14 x 11-inch (3 L) roasting pan with some of the butter-oil mixture. Slice thin lengthwise strip off the bottom of one potato; place flat side down on cutting board. Place two wooden spoons on opposite long sides of potato. Cut potato crosswise into 20 thin slices until almost all the way through, stopping when knife hits spoon handles. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
• Arrange potatoes flat side down in roasting pan; brush with butter-oil mixture and season with salt and pepper. Scatter rosemary and thyme sprigs around potatoes.
• Bake in centre of oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through but still firm, basting with butter halfway through. Remove from oven; let cool 5 minutes.
• Grate 2 tbsp (25 mL) cheese finely; combine with panko. Slice remaining cheese crosswise into 20 slices; cut each slice crosswise into 3 pieces for a total of 60 pieces.
• Insert bacon alternately with cheese in potato slices. Brush all over with butter from pan. Sprinkle panko mixture over top. Bake in centre oven for 12 to 16 minutes or until cheese is melted and panko mixture is golden.
• Discard herb sprigs; garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

BACON HASSELBACK POTATOES

Steps:

• Lay the bacon pieces on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Using a sharp knife, make crosswise cuts in each potato, about 1/8 inch apart, stopping about 1/4 inch from the bottom.
• Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and carefully transfer to a baking sheet; let cool slightly. Pat the potatoes dry, then insert 3 pieces of the frozen bacon into the cuts of each potato, spacing the bacon evenly and letting it poke out of the top. Melt 5 tablespoons butter and brush generously over the potatoes and in the cuts. Reserve any excess butter for basting. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the potatoes to the oven and bake until the outsides are browned and crisp, about 2 hours, basting halfway through with the reserved melted butter.
• When the potatoes are almost done, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and mix with the scallions, parsley and garlic. Spoon over the potatoes and roast 5 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and season with salt and pepper.

CHEESY BACON HASSELBACK POTATO RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450ºF.
• Cut thin lengthwise slice off bottom of each potato; discard. Place 2 wooden spoons on opposite long sides of 1 potato on cutting board. Cut potato crosswise into 24 thin slices, stopping when knife hits spoons. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
• Microwave on HIGH 12 to 14 min. or until potatoes are almost tender. Place in foil-lined 13x9-inch pan; brush evenly with 3 Tbsp. dressing. Bake 15 min. or until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven. Heat broiler.
• Insert bacon pieces alternately with cheese slices between potato slices. Combine Parmesan and chives; sprinkle over potatoes. Drizzle with remaining dressing.
• Broil, 4 inches from heat, 2 to 3 min. or until topping is lightly browned. Cut in half.