Delight your Christmas party guests with these three elite potato dishes

Sponsored by Bord Bia. 

Whether you like them as a side dish or as the main event, potatoes are delicious and can go a long way to please your loved ones.

The holidays are incoming, and we're perfecting the playlist, polishing our wine glasses and ensuring that the party favours meet expectations as we get geared up for hosting duties. Throughout December, it's safe to say that we'll be rolling up our sleeves in the kitchen to whip up some tasty nibbles for our guests, and this year, we're eyeing up the potato as the basis for our favourite snacks. Not only is this kitchen staple a crowd-pleaser, but it's also super versatile. From flavoursome soups to moreish nibbles, the potato lends itself to party dishes, and we've teamed up with Bord Bia's 'Potatoes Prepare to be Surprised' campaign to bring you three delicious recipes to impress your Christmas party guests. Whether you're on hosting duties or doing a casual pot-luck with your friends, grab your peeler and a couple of spuds and get ready to serve:

1. Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 700g salad/baby potatoes
• 80g finely grated parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp dried chives
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Cut the potatoes in half and put them in a bowl. Drizzle some olive oil over them and then season with salt, pepper, dried chives and thyme leaves. Toss all these ingredients together until all the potatoes are covered.
• Cover your baking tray with baking paper. Add some olive and sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Place the potatoes with the cut side down on the parmesan cheese and place them in the oven for 25-30 mins until they're crispy.
• Serve immediately.

2. Tartiflette Potato Toasts

Ingredients 

• 3 large Rooster potatoes
• 100g bacon pieces
• 1 onion
• 240g soft cheese
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Rocket to serve

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Cut the potatoes into thick 1cm slices. Arrange them on a baking tray covered with baking paper and drizzle some olive oil on top. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Finely slice the onion. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and the bacon pieces until cooked.
• Slice the cheese. Remove the thyme leaves from the stems.
• Take the tray out of the oven and add a tablespoon of bacon mixture on top of the potato toast. Finish them off with a slice of cheese and some thyme leaves. Put them in the oven for roughly 6 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
• Take them out and serve with rocket.

3. Mexican-Style Stuffed Potato Skins

Ingredients

• 4 large Rooster potatoes
• 1 tin of sweetcorn, drained
• 3 tbsp light mayonnaise
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 100g grated cheddar
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander
• Lime wedges to serve
• Olive oil to roast
• 1 tomato
• Coriander
• Green chilli
• Lettuce

Method

• Heat the oven to 220°C.
• Place the potatoes in a microwavable dish filled with water. Cover with special microwave cling film and cook at maximum power for 8 minutes.
• Halve the potatoes and scoop out the flesh to use with the sweetcorn. Roast the potatoes in the oven with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt for about 20 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden.
• Mix the sweetcorn with the remaining ingredients and fill the skins. Return to the oven for 2 minutes and serve with tomato, coriander and green chilli salad.

Sponsored by Bord Bia.