Call them twice-baked or stuffed. Either way they’re heavenly fare, the hot fudge sundae treatment for the humble potato.
Baked crisp in their jackets, they’re slashed open and hollowed out. The steaming contents are mashed, either smooth or lumpy, and combined with all sorts of goodies, everything from fat-free sour cream and non-fat milk to lobster and wild mushrooms sauteed in butter.
The mixture is spooned (or, for a fancy presentation, piped from a fluted pastry bag) back into the empty potato boats. They’re topped, most often with grated cheese or paprika. Back in the oven, they’re baked until piping hot.
Too delicious to play second fiddle, they should be in the spotlight. Accompanied with a mixed green salad, they make a delectable main course for supper. Leave out the lobster and they make economical entrees.
Start with the right kind of potato, a medium-large to large russet or Idaho. They’re the starchiest kind of potato, so when baked, they have fluffy interiors. Store raw potatoes in a cool, dark place. Don’t refrigerate because they sweeten and turn dark when cooked.
– Skin game: A trick for making potato skin crisp is to do the initial baking in a 425-degree oven. Scrub them well (a vegetable brush or rough-sided sponge helps), but be careful not to break or tear the skin. Pat dry, then rub with a little vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. Prick in several spots with a fork. Don’t wrap them in foil (that makes them steam). Usually it takes one hour for a medium-large russet to be baked to perfection.
To maintain crispness, cut the baked potatoes in half as soon as you remove them from the oven. Hold them cautiously with a thick potholder or oven mitt. If they sit on the counter without cutting, they start to cool and the skin softens and shrivels slightly.
If you want larger portions, rather than cutting the potatoes in half, slit off a strip at the top to make a single serving from each spud.
– To microwave or not to microwave: A microwave-cooked potato isn’t a baked potato. The skin isn’t crisp and the interior isn’t flaky. Using the microwave, even if it’s in combination with a conventional oven, creates a fully cooked potato with a funny, waxy texture. This isn’t a problem if you’re using them in soups, stews or casseroles; in fact, they hold together better in liquid when cooked this way. But for stuffed potatoes, baking potatoes in the oven will give better results.
– Filling favorites: Scoop out the hot, fluffy interior and mash it with either non-fat or regular sour cream, room temperature cream cheese and milk or cream. You can whip them in an electric mixer, but I prefer an old-fashioned potato masher. It’s fast and easy, and I don’t mind if I have a lump or two. Never use a food processor to mash potatoes; it turns them into a gluey glob.
At this point, let your taste buds be your guide. You can augment the mixture with sliced green onions, sauteed minced garlic, or chopped chives, dill, basil or parsley. Diced mild green chilies, cooked cabbage, crumbled cooked Italian sausage, chopped tomatoes or chopped smoked salmon will work as well.
Cheese can be added to the mixture, used as a topping, or included inside and on top. Add a little crumbled blue cheese, grated smoked Gouda or shredded peppered Jack cheese and you’ll create real flavor drama.
Taste the mixture before you spoon it into the shells. Most likely, it will need some salt and pepper.
– Do ahead: Stuffed potatoes can be prepared one day in advance, refrigerated, or frozen, well sealed, up to one week. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH CREAM AND WILD MUSHROOMS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
2 large baking potatoes, such as Idaho or russet
5 ounces wild mushrooms, such as shiitake or cremini, see note
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded smoked
Gouda cheese
Paprika
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub and dry potatoes; rub with vegetable oil or vegetable shortening if desired. Prick in several places with fork. Bake 1 hour. Remove potatoes from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
2. Remove stems of mushrooms and discard. Cut mushrooms in half and thinly slice. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat; add oil. Add mushrooms; Cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
3. Cut baked potatoes in half lengthwise, holding with hot pads, and allow to cool enough to handle. Scoop out flesh, being careful to leave shells intact (leaving about 1/4 inch of pulp lining shell). Mash potato flesh with potato masher or beat with electric mixer. Gently stir in whipping cream, cheese and mushrooms.
4. Fill potato shells with mixture; bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.
Note: If wild mushrooms aren’t available, use regular mushrooms. Or use dried wild mushrooms; first soak dried mushrooms in warm water 30 minutes. Rinse, squeeze out water and chop. Cook with 1 to 2 tablespoons minced shallots in butter or olive oil.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories … 405 Fat … 30 g Cholesterol … 95 mg Sodium … 270 mg
TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH CABBAGE AND PANCETTA
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
4 baking potatoes, such as russet or Idaho
Vegetable oil, optional
4 ounces diced pancetta, see note
2 1/2 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
Salt, white pepper to taste
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub and dry potatoes. Rub with vegetable oil, if desired. Prick in several places with fork. Bake 1 hour; remove potatoes from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pancetta in small skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain. Combine cabbage, water, butter and caraway seeds in large saucepan. Heat to boil; cover. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove cabbage mixture with slotted spoon, drain in colander. Heat liquid to boil; reduce to 1/2 cup.
3. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; allow to cool long enough to handle. Hold with thick potholder or oven mitt; scoop out flesh, being careful to leave shells intact (about 1/4 inch thick). Mash potato flesh with potato masher or beat with electric mixer. Add drained cabbage mixture, half of the pancetta and enough reduced cabbage water to reach desired smooth, mashed-potato consistency. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
4. Fill potato shells with mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining pancetta; bake 5 minutes.
Note: Pancetta is Italian bacon that is cured with salt and spices but is not smoked. It’s sold in Italian markets and supermarkets with large specialty meat departments. If you can’t find it, substitute 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained and crumbled.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories … 160 Fat … 5 g Cholesterol … 10 mg Sodium … 125 mg
