There is an Italian cookie called Brutti Ma Buoni. . .translation: ugly but good. These could be called that as well. . they ain't pretty but they are really delicious. This is a super basic recipe that is completely open to interpretation. Potatoes are a chameleon of the cooking world, they sort of take on whatever flavor you want to throw at them. I think of this version as quintessentially American. But you could make them with ground chicken or turkey browned with a little chorizo, pepper jack, roasted zucchini. . .for a Tex-Mex profile. You could roast a ton of your favorite vegetables, mix them with herbs and top them with goat cheese. You could use ground lamb, Greek oregano, roasted eggplant and feta for a Greek flavor profile. The possibilities are endless. This isn't fancy food but it's sort of soulful and it's definitely tasty. The pictures here are for a large batch I made for Tim to take on the road with him. They keep well and can be popped in a microwave to heat up. . . I personally do not believe in microwaves but I am told they exist. I did a whole photo essay but even just editing them almost put me to sleep. . the steps are basic and boring but the result are delicious.
Twice Baked Potatoes
4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
1 lb. ground beef
1 stick butter
2 bunches of scallions, thinly sliced white and green parts
1 jalapeno, minced - remove the seeds and ribs if you don't want too much spice
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped
4 oz of cream cheese - I use the lower fat neufchatel with good results
3 oz. of sour cream or greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch broccoli, steamed to your liking
Sharp cheddar cheese, thickly sliced
Bake the potatoes at 375 for two hours. . . you want them to be completely tender (btw, I do not poke my potatoes to bake them. . I find they come out fluffier if they don't lose any steam - I haven't had a any exploding potatoes). Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, brown the meat, seasoning with salt and pepper. Once it's completely cooked, set it in a colander to drain well. Once the potatoes are cool enough for you to handle, split down the middle. Scoop the warm potato pulp into a large bowl, leaving behind 1/8 of an inch of potato in the skin. You are going to use all the potato pulp but only six of the potato skins so pick the best ones and discard two. In the same pan you cooked the meat in, melt the butter. Brush the inside of the potato skins with melted butter and season the skins with salt and pepper. Heat the butter to bubbling and add the scallions and jalapeno. Cook until the scallions are tender then add the garlic and saute for about two minutes. Tip the scallion mixture, butter and all into the bowl of potato pulp. Add the cream cheese, sour cream and Parmesan with some salt and pepper and mash all together being careful not to over do it or you'll end up with a gluey mass. Adjust seasoning. Fold in the meat, then fold in the broccoli. Stuff the potato skins with the potato mixture making sure to pack it in well. Place a thick slice of sharp cheddar cheese atop the potato and bake at 350F until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 1/2 an hour. Serve with a nice green salad.
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