Ingredients
- 8 small russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup crème fraÎche or sour cream
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning, or more to taste
- 1 pound Maryland lump crabmeat, cleaned and picked
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted and lightly mashed
- 4 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced
- 1 cup salami, cut into thin strips and cooked until crispy
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 pickled jalapeños, seeded and minced
- Sa Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chef notes
I love crispy potatoes with toppings, dips and gravies. They are my weakness! This classic appetizer goes to the next level with sweet crab and Old Bay seasoning.
Technique tip: Buy the potatoes in a 5-pound bag as they tend to be a little smaller than the loose potatoes. Create scallion curls by slicing thin and placing into ice water.
Swap option: Use a pitted avocado instead of potato skin, imitation crab instead of fresh crab for price conscious, sweet potatoes instead of russet potatoes and crumbled bacon or turkey bacon instead of salami.
Preparation
1.Heat oven to 415°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2.Pierce potatoes several times with a fork. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack. Bake until potatoes are cooked through and skins are crispy, about 60-75 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a wire rack and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 5-10 minutes. Turn oven to broiler.
3.Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh with a spoon, leaving a 1/4-inch intact. Set 1/2 flesh aside to be mixed with crab and reserve the rest for another use. Season skins with salt and pepper.
4.In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and garlic. Flip potatoes over and brush the skins with 1/2 of the melted garlic butter. Place on a baking sheet and broil until crispy, about 3 minutes. Flip the potato halves over and brush with the remaining melted garlic butter and broil until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes.
5.In a bowl, mix together the crème fraÎche, lemon juice and Old Bay, and season with salt and pepper. Reserve half of mixture for garnish on top of loaded skins.
6.In a separate bowl, mix the crab, 1/2 the crème fraÎche mixture, lemon zest, avocado, 1/2 the sliced scallions, crispy salami and 1/2 the flesh from the potatoes. Season to taste. Evenly fill the skins with mixture and top with cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly.
7.Drizzle the remaining crème fraÎche mixture over top of the loaded skins. Garnish with the rest of the scallions and pickled jalapeños.
