Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes

A salty, crispy skin hiding a sweet, melt-in-your-mouth orange flesh. The contrast between the smoky fat of the grilled bacon and the root's natural sweetness is bold and direct.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 50 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 490
• Protein: 14 g
• Carbs: 35 g
• Fat: 32 g

Ingredients

• 4 piece Sweet potato ( whole )
• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 40 g Salted butter
• 100 g Cheddar cheese ( shredded )
• 100 g Smoked lardons ( grilled )
• 2 tbsp Cream
• 1 piece Chives fresh ( chopped )
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Preparing the tubers

   Wash and dry the sweet potatoes thoroughly. Rub the skin with olive oil and grey sea salt until they shine. Prick the skin several times with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking.

2. Oven roasting

   Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack at 200°C. Bake until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh yields without resistance under a knife blade. The skin should feel crispy to the touch.

3. Preparing the topping

   While baking, sauté the smoked bacon bits in a hot pan without extra fat. They should be well-browned and crispy. Drain excess fat on paper towels. Finely chop the chives.

4. Final assembly

   Split the potatoes lengthwise. Lightly mash the flesh with a fork, incorporating a knob of salted butter. Add shredded cheddar, bacon bits, and a dollop of cream. The cheese should coat the hot flesh. Finish with chives and a crack of black pepper.

Chef's tips

• Do not wrap the potatoes in foil, or the skin will steam instead of crisping up.
• Cooking is done when a knife tip enters like it's sliding through butter.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, place in the oven for 10 minutes at 180°C to maintain the crispy skin.