Pub potatoes with horseradish cream sauce

So you may have noticed that I'm a little deficient in the side items category on this blog.  There are lots of reasons (excuses) for that, with the main ones being 1) we're entree kind of people, and don't need a lot of extras, 2) sometimes I don't have the time and energy to devote to a second dish, and 3) if we want a side we do something simple like rice or a salad, nothing worth blogging about.  But occasionally something catches my eye that I have to try, and these pub potatoes from Rachael Ray fit the bill.  I served them with burgers (imagine that!), and they are fantastic!!

PUB POTATOES WITH HORSERADISH CREAM SAUCE
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil

5 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2–2 lbs. baking potatoes

Coarse salt and black pepper

1 cup sour cream

Splash of heavy cream or half-and-half

2 tbsp. prepared horseradish

3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives (I buy these frozen at Fresh Market)

Instructions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of EVOO. Scatter the bacon in the pan and brown, then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain; leave the drippings in the pan.

2. Peel the potatoes and halve lengthwise. Slice each half lengthwise into 4 wedges, then crosswise into thirds (24 pieces per potato). Scatter the potato pieces in the bacon drippings and season with salt and generously with pepper. Cook to brown, about 5 minutes. Cover the skillet with foil, lower the heat and steam the potatoes, 6 to 7 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high, flip and brown on the other side until deep, deep golden and very crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Stir together the sour cream, heavy cream, horseradish, chives, salt and pepper. Serve the pub browns topped with the horseradish sauce and bacon.