irish nachos

Ed and I used to live near Gettysburg, PA. Our favorite place to eat in that little town was Garryowen's Irish Pub. They had this delicious appetizer that I almost always had as a meal- Irish Nachos. Basically, they were thick, thick, thick cut fried chips topped with bacon and cheese. To.Die.For. And we haven't had them for over 3 years, since we moved away. So, I decided to give them a go. It was a win.

Ed was so excited for this meal that he help. He poured the cold water to soak the potato slices in. Helpful boy!

Slice your potatoes to about a quarter of an inch thick, that way they are soft inside and crispy on the outside. Soak them in very cold water to get all the starches out.

After about a half an hour, the starches have been pulled from the potatoes and you can lay them out to dry. Pat them dry with a towel to get ALL the water off.

Fry. Fry. Fry! 5-6 minutes in the fryer will get them crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside and perfect. Don't forget the salt!

Pile them all up into a roasting or broiling pan and prepare for the good stuff.

Cheese, then bacon, then more cheese and under the broiler they go!

This is when you start drooling. Serve with green onions and sour cream and you'll be thanking me for it later.

Irish Nachos
4 large russet potatoes
2 cups cheddar and monterey jack cheese, shredded
6 slices bacon, fried and chopped
Sour cream
1 quart oil, for frying
Green onions
Salt

Slice russet potatoes into quarter inch slices and soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Preheat oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Lay each slice individually down on a paper or kitchen towel. Pat dry and fry in batches for 5-6 minute or until chips are golden brown and crispy. Salt each batch as they are removed from oil and drain on a paper towel. Pile all batches of fried chips into a roasting pan. Preheat broiler on low. Layer chips with cheese, bacon bits and then more cheese. Place under broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with green onions and sour cream. Enjoy!