Pimento Cheese Potato Skins with Ham Hocks
Makes 12 servings
1 to 2 smoked ham hocks (about 1 pound)
1 cup pimento cheese, store-bought or homemade
6 medium russet potatoes
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Coarse-ground pepper
½ cup crème frache
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Place the smoked ham hocks in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover. Simmer, covered, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 4 hours. Remove the ham hock from the pot and cool for 15 minutes; shred the meat. You should have about ½ cup of shredded meat. Mix the meat into the pimento cheese until combined.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pierce the potatoes a few times with a fork, rub with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the potatoes are tender and cooked through, about 1 hour.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and cool. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half horizontally and scoop out the flesh, leaving about ¼-inch border around the potato. Reserve the scooped potatoes for another use.
Heat the oven to broil. Brush oil all over the potato skins and season with salt and pepper. Place the potato skins on the baking pan, skin side up and broil for 5 minutes until starting to brown. Turn the skins over and broil 5 more minutes. Remove from oven.
Fill each potato skin with 2 tablespoons of the pimento cheese mixture and top with bacon bits. Return the skins to the oven and broil for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and top with a dollop of crème fraiche. Garnish with chopped chives and serve.