Every once in a while when I was growing up my mother would make us stuffed baked potatoes for our supper. Oh boy but they were a real treat. She would bake the potatoes, and then carefully scoop out the filling which she would then mash together with butter milk, salt, pepper and a bit of chopped onion. Nothing fancy, but still out of the ordinary and a bit more special than the usual boiled or mashed or baked potato.
What I wouldn't give to be able to sit down with her now and eat one of her stuffed potatoes, as simple as they were. You can make a meal from a stuffed baked potato . . . and I don't just mean because of what you choose to fill it with. Happy memories are great food for the soul, and there are none so tasty as those which involve food. Preparing food for the ones you care about is a deep expression of love after all . . .
The recipe I am sharing with you today is a bit fancier than my mother's baked stuffed potatoes. I adapted it from Diana Henry's book entitled, Food From Plenty. I love Diana Henry's recipes and way of cooking. She cooks like I want to eat. She is a bit like me in that she can make a really tasty dish from just about everything . . . like a simple baked potato . . .
These baked potatoes are stuffed baked potatoes, but they are a step above the ordinary stuffed baked potato . . . they are like the aristocratic/upper class version of stuffed baked potatoes . . .
Not surprisingly you begin with baking some potatoes in the oven. I vary from her method actually. I aways just wash, dry, prick and then bang them into a hot oven, right on the oven racks. That way the air can really circulate around them and the skins get nice and crispy.
Which is just how I like them . . . crisp on the outsides and nice and fluffy inside.
Once they are tender and cooked through you let them cool a bit. Just until you can comfortably handle them. You can hold them with an oven mitt if you want. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a bowl.
Her recipe uses bacon. I softened some onion in a bit of butter and added finely chopped baked ham to them . . .
This gets mashed into the potato flesh . . . along with some blue cheese.
She recommends something like a Gorgonzola . . .
I used Stilton because that is what I had and what I felt would go well with ham . . .
I used plenty of freshly ground black pepper and then I tasted it to see how salty it was. It needed a little bit but not a lot . . . so do taste it before you add any salt.
Then you beat in a beaten egg . . . the egg kind of makes them puff up like souffle's.
They are ready to bake then. She lays a slice of bacon on top of each prior to baking, but I just added a thin sliver of butter . . . oh boy but these were some tasty!
Yield: 2
Roussillon Baked Potatoes
When I was growing up it was something to really look forward to when we knew mom was making stuffed baked potatoes. This kicks them up a notch!
ingredients:
- 2 large baking potatoes
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- 30g butter (1 ounce)
- a couple thick slices of baked ham, chopped
- 2 rashers of uncooked streaky bacon (optional) (alternately you can dot with butter)
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 20g blue cheese, crumbled (1 ounce)
- 1 small egg, beaten
- 1/2 TBS finely chopped fresh parsley
instructions:
How to cook Roussillon Baked Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Wash the potatoes, dry and prick all over with a fork. Place into the oven right on the rack. Bake for 50 minutes or so. They are done with a knife will go easily into the centre. Remove and allow to cool until you can handle them comfortably.
- While the potatoes are baking melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and chopped ham. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened but not browned. Remove and set aside.
- Have the potatoes and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4 inch shell all round. Mash the flesh together with the onions and ham. Stir in the cheese, egg, parsley and pepper. Taste and season with salt as needed. (You may not need any as the cheese and ham are salty.) Pile back into the potato skins. Place into a baking dish which will hold them all in a single layer. Top each with 1/2 rasher of streaky bacon or dot with butter. Return the filled potatoes to the oven and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.
I served these with some corn on the cob and a nice mixed salad. They went down a real treat!
Up Tomorrow: White Batter Rolls
Have to make:) They look decadently delicious:)
ReplyDeletePotatoes are a weakness of mine, and if they are twice baked, well then . . . I am totally lost! xoxo
DeleteOh, my, goodness, these look and sound delicious and not too difficult to make. What kind of potatoes doyou use, Marie? Hugs, Elaine
ReplyDeleteThanks Elaine. I just use what are called Baking Potatoes that we can buy in the shops here. They are a bit larger than the normal potatoes and are all fluffy inside when cooked. Best for baking, chipping and mashing. So not a new potato. Something similar to a russett? Hope this helps! xoxo
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