Potatoes have become a staple in our family, especially as my boys have become older. We have several potato recipes in the weekly rotation, most of which are simple to prepare. Twice baked is a surefire hit every time. This takes a while, about two hours, but the process is straightforward. This recipe is inspired by the approach used in America’s Test Kitchen cookbook. I like to accessorize the potatoes to complement the main course, which is usually a steak.
Ingredients:
- 3 large russet potatoes, roughly the same size
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup red onion, minced (about half of a small onion)
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 tsp paprika
Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the middle. Wash and scrub the potatoes under cold water. Using a fork or small skewer, poke 15 – 20 holes evenly around in each potato. Once the oven reaches temperature, place the potatoes directly on the rack. After 45 minutes, check the potatoes for doneness. They should feel softened but still have some mild density when ready. If they’re still not soft enough, continue cooking and check every 10 minutes until their fully baked. Remove from the oven and split the potatoes lengthwise to help expedite the cooling process. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Using a skillet or separate oven (e.g. I use my toaster oven), cook the bacon until it is crispy but not blackened. Once done, remove the bacon from the heat and place on paper towels to absorb some of the grease. Chop the bacon slices into small bits and set aside.
In the meantime, melt the butter in a small pot over low heat. Using a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon. Once the potatoes have cooled enough to handle, scoop out the center and add to the bowl with the other ingredients. I like to use a grapefruit spoon because of the ridges. Add the melted butter to the bowl and mix everything together, but don’t over do it otherwise the potatoes may become too gluey. Add extra buttermilk if the texture is too dry.
Return the potato skins to oven for 10 minutes. You want to leave about a 1/4 inch of the outer potato layer in the potato skin shells, otherwise the shells will split. This process will add some crispness to the skins and they will hold up nicely when you add the remaining potato mixture back.
After you’ve removed the skins from the oven, raise the temperature to 475 degrees. Add the potato mixture back into the potato skins. Dust the tops with paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the potatoes to the oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is clearly melted and browning on top. Remove from the oven and allow 10 – 15 minutes to cool before serving.
Alex Taghavian 