Bacon-Roasted Potatoes with Blue Cheese Cream

I'm not sure why these potatoes were included in a book of "fast" food, as they're somewhat fussy and definitely not quick, but they certainly are delicious! Potato wedges are coated in bacon "crumbs," smoked paprika, and Aleppo chile flakes, and then roasted until sizzling hot and crispy.  To really gild the lily, they're then drizzled with a blue cheese cream.  Absolutely decadent and delicious! These would be the perfect snack to serve during a big football game, although we enjoyed them during the World Series.  Go Giants!

Edited to add: If you have any left over blue cheese cream, don't toss it! Stash in the fridge; it will firm up and make an absolutely delicious blue cheese dip.  The dip is great with chips, veggies, or chicken tenders.

Bacon-Roasted Potatoes with Blue Cheese Cream (adapted from Nigel Slater's Eat)

Serves 4

6-8 slices bacon

2 pounds waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold)

1 heaping tsp Aleppo chili flakes

1 heaping tsp smoked paprika

Olive oil

1 cup heavy cream

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degreees and line a heavy baking sheet with foil.

2. Lay the bacon out on the baking sheet in a single layer, and bake until crispy, about 20 minutes, flipping once.  Transfer the bacon to a food processor.  Don't clean the baking sheet or discard the foil -- you'll use it agian.  Turn the oven up to 400 degrees.

3. While the bacon is cooking, scrub the potatoes and cut off/peel any suspicious bits.  No need to peel if the skins look good.  Cut into large wedges.

4. Bring a small amount of water to a boil in a pot with a steamer basket.  Add the potatoes, cover, and steam the potatoes for 15 minutes.  If you don't have a steamer basket, you can boil the potatoes -- just be sure to drain well before continuing with the recipe.

5. To the bacon in the food processor, add the chili flakes, smoked paprika, and a generous glug of olive oil.  Pulse a few times, until the bacon resembles crumbs.  Dump out on the baking sheet, and use a rubber spatula to spread out the bacon crumbs and mix them with the bacon grease.

6. Once the potatoes are cooked, place them on the baking sheet.  Gently stir with a rubber spatula until they are evenly coated with the bacon mixture -- take your time and be careful not to break up the wedges.  Make sure the potatoes are in a single layer, overlapping as little as possible. 

7. Transfer to the 400 degree oven and roast for one hour, until crispy and sizzling.

8. In the last few minutes of baking, heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat.  When the cream is hot, add the blue cheese and stir until melted.  

9. Serve the hot potatoes drizzled with the blue cheese cream.