Dorothy Dean presents: Bacon-potato roses

Remember apple roses? Turns out the same technique works well with bacon and potatoes.

The savory version is just as charming as the sweet one. And it’s great for breakfast or as a side dish or appetizer. Plus, it’s kid-friendly.

Bacon-potato roses are fairly easy to assemble, too. A muffin tin makes things easier. But a round or oval gratin baking dish would also work.

One of the best parts of these little beauties: They’re customizable. Use your favorite fresh or dried herbs – maybe even a sprinkling of cheese – to dress them up to your liking.

Spice things up with a pinch of cayenne and a little nutmeg.

Not into bacon? Make a vegetarian version by leaving it out and using puff pastry instead.

Make a vegan version with extra-virgin olive oil – skipping the butter, cheese, bacon and/or puff pastry – and simply tightly rolling up overlapping potato slices.

Bacon-Potato Roses

8 to 10 Yukon gold or red potatoes

12 slices bacon

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, or chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, parsley, dill), to taste

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch cayenne (optional)

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a mandoline to cut potatoes, lengthwise, into thin slices, about 1/16-inch thick. Arrange 9 or 10 potatoes slices, overlapping, on a strip of bacon. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with seasonings and cheese, if using. (Or, if you prefer, add seasonings to bowl of melted butter, stir to combine, then brush the seasoned butter mixture onto potato slices.) Roll bacon-potato strips as tightly as you can, then place gently in muffin tin. Repeat until all cups in the muffin tin are full. Bake for about 1 hour, until potatoes are cooked through and edges are crispy.