Taco-style potatoes.Bord Bia.

Bring fiesta flavours to your St Patrick's Day table with these taco-style potatoes that feed four. Baked until tender then filled with spiced minced beef, melted Emmental and a tangy sour cream, they are colorful, comforting and easy to assemble.

Ready in about 90 minutes and ideal for a relaxed St Patrick's Day gathering, this recipe lets you bake potatoes, hollow them out and turn the skins into handheld taco shells topped with shredded lettuce or red cabbage, diced tomato and optional jalapeño for heat. The simple sour cream can be whisked together from cooking cream, milk and a splash of white vinegar or swapped for store bought sour cream for speed.

Keep the scooped potato flesh to mash for another meal so nothing goes to waste and feel free to swap Emmental for a sharper cheese if you prefer. This version was prepared for IrishCentral and is meant to be both festive and family friendly.

Taco-Style Potatoes

Serves: 4 people

Time: 1 h 30 min

Ingredients: 

  • 4 potatoes for baking (e.g. Rooster potatoes) (approximately 400g)
  • 450 g minced beef
  • 20 g Mexican spices
  • 250 g grated Emmental cheese
  • 250 g cooking cream 
  • 500 ml milk
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 iceberg lettuce
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 jalapeño pepper (optional)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
  • A few sprigs coriander

Method:

Wash the potatoes thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

Cook the potatoes in the oven for 60 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked and tender, cut them in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh and keep the skins.

Cook the minced beef in a frying pan with olive oil or butter, sprinkle with Mexican spices and stir well.

Divide the beef mixture between the potato skins. Sprinkle with grated cheese and place under the grill until the cheese has melted.

Mix together the cream, white vinegar, and the milk to obtain sour cream (or use pre-bought sour cream).

Cut the pepper and tomato into cubes, shred the lettuce, coriander, and jalapeño (if using). Pour over the potatoes along with the sour cream.

Tip: 

For added colour, you can replace the lettuce with shredded red cabbage. 

The potato flesh should be kept and used as mashed potato for another meal. 

* This article was originally published by Bord Bia, Ireland's Food Board.