Red, White, and Blue Anything You Want Stuffed Potatoes

This is easy living. Stuffed potatoes are fantastic for lazy weekend meals. These suggestions are for 2 people, but all the ingredients may easily be doubled or tripled to feed more people or to have leftovers; the favorite in our house. We have white, blue, and little reds at the farm this week so pick and bake (blues in the picture, above). Smaller potatoes take less initial baking time and you may want 2 per person. Prepare the filling while the potatoes bake.

Potato Cooking and Prep

2 large or 4 small to medium potatoes, russet, Maine, red, blue, or yellow, in other words, your favorite potato
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons milk, light cream, or sour cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prick potatoes all over to allow steam to escape and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, slice a top off the potatoes and scoop the potato into a bowl, leaving a shell about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Season the shells with sea salt and pepper. Place the shells in a buttered or oiled baking dish large enough to hold them with space around them.

Mash the potatoes with milk, butter, sea salt, and pepper. The amounts are up to you. Set aside.

While the potatoes bake, prepare a filling.

New England Style

Make this a succotash style filling using lima beans. You may also replace the lima beans with chick peas, pinto beans, or other red or white bean.

2 slices baked ham, shredded
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 ear corn, cooked and kernels removed
handful of baby lima beans, cooked, optional

Stir the ham, cheese, corn, and lima beans if using into the mashed potatoes. Pile the mixture back into the potato shells, mounding the mixture. Place the potatoes in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon remaining cheese. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, depending on size of potato, until cheese is melted and potatoes are heated through.

Steak and Cheese Philly Style

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, red or green, chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounce tenderloin of beef steak
1/4 cup shredded provolone
2 to 4 tablespoons sour cream
1 scallion, sliced on the diagonal

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and saute until softened, about 7 to 10 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper. Stir into the mashed potatoes and add the provolone. Pile the mixture into the potato shells, mounding the mixture. Place the potatoes in the prepared baking dish and top with sour cream. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, depending on size of potatoes, until potatoes are heated through. 

While the potatoes bake, pan-fry the steak 2 to 4 minutes a side, depending on the thickness and how you like it cooked. Set aside on a board to rest.

Once the potatoes come out of the oven, slice the meat and top the potatoes with the slices. Season well with sea salt and pepper. Scatter the scallions over the meat and serve. 

Mountain Style

2 slices bacon
1 clove garlic, minced
handfull of mushrooms, sliced
handful of Swiss chard
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
handful of hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped

Cook and crumble the bacon, leaving some of the bacon fat in the pan. Add mushrooms and saute until cooked. Add the garlic and cook for a quick minute. Add the Swiss chard and wilt. Season the mixture with sea salt and pepper. Add to the bowl with the mashed potatoes and mix well. 

Pile the mixture into the potato shells, mounding the mixture. Place the potatoes in the prepared baking dish and top with chopped nuts, pressing them in lightly so they stay on top. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, depending on size of potatoes, until potatoes are heated through and nuts are toasted.

Samosa Style

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, sliced
1 jalapeno chile, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
handful of fresh peas, blanched
plain yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook 5 to soften. Add the chile and all the spices and continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes more until onions and nice and golden. Season with sea salt and pepper. Add to the mashed potatoes along with the peas.

Pile the mixture into the potato shells, mounding the mixture. Place the potatoes in the prepared baking dish and bake 15 to 25 minutes, depending on size of potatoes, until potatoes are heated through. Top with a spoonful of yogurt and a sprinkling of cilantro and serve.

Recipe and Photograph Copyright Deirdre Davis 2016
Use of content requires permission.

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