Dirty Pretty Things

I have a dirty little secret: at least once a week, Mr. Food Musings and I eat potatoes as our main course. Heavens to Murgatroid! But it's true. Usually they're baked, sawed in half and draped with just-steamed broccoli and cheddar cheese before being returned to the broiler for a light suntan. Recently I got creative and changed things up. I mean, I went all kinds of crazy, folks. That's right. I threw in some bacon. Yeeee-haw!

Twice-baked Potatoes
Serves 2

2 baking potatoes, scrubbed and poked with a fork a few times
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
4 pieces of bacon, cooked and diced
2 TBSP St. Benoit yogurt, other full-fat plain yogurt, creme fraiche or sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Bake the potatoes at 450 for an hour or until a knife slides through them easily. Remove them from the oven and carefully cut a big hole in the top of each one, as if you are cutting a hole in the ice to fish. Peel back the top layer of skin and throw it away, then carefully scoop out the potato flesh with a spoon. Leave enough potato inside so that the remaining skin holds its shape without collapsing. Toss the exhumed potato into a bowl with the cheese and let it sit for a moment until the hot potato melts the cheese strands. Mix well with a spoon, integrating the melted cheese totally into the potato. Add the bacon and yogurt, mix again, and season to taste. Divide the potato mixture in two and carefully scoop it back into the potato skins. You will have to pile it up high on top to fit it all in. Return to the oven for 20 minutes or until heated through. Close the curtains and enjoy.

Comments

[Mom]

Sounds like great comfort food to me! All those flavors are nothing short of fittin'!

[sam]

Us too. I love them. Except we both have our own choice of fillings.
His version always has way more cheese on it than the hers version. But the hers version is likely to sneak in a slice of bacon from time to time.

[Catherine]

Mom -- it really, really was.

Sam -- usually I give Mr. FM more of the fatty yummy stuff too but lately, my attitude has been f*** it. Pretty much about everything :) p.s. we ended the meal with some gorgeous lime-infused truffles, wonder where we got those?

[Tracy]

One of my friends often says sand, sea and sun can cure all woes. I think she's wrong. I say potatoes, cheese and pork fat can fix the world. I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.

[Catherine]

Tracy -- ha! I still wouldn't turn down a trip to Hawaii...

[Tracy]

I wouldn't turn down a trip to Hawaii either. I would just sit on the beach and eat my loaded double baked potato.

[Robyn]

Hi Catherine, I'm betting almost everyone has spuds as a main course on a regular basis.

Try this, from P Wells' French Bistro book: oven preheated to 350. A few baking spuds (Yukon Gold preferred) and some bacon, 2 pieces per spud. Lay bacon over bottom and up sides of a covered casserole (ideally just about big enough to fit all the spuds in a single layer). Spuds on top and then drape bacon that's up casserole sides over tops of spuds. Bake covered at least an hour, till very tender. What you got is fragrant smoked spuds and crisped bacon. Remove spuds and split, slice bacon and lay over, sour cream and chives pretty much finishes it off.
When we lived in CA we had three Thursday (good TV nite) dinners - these spuds, mussels in white wine w/ a baguette, and Cheese Board takeaway "light bake" pizza. Those were the days!
Thanks for reminding me of the spud 'n bacon thing!

[Catherine]

Tracy -- okay, so now we just have to locate a very kind benefactor...

Robyn -- that sounds really good too! The potato is a wonderful canvas, n'est-ce pas?

[clare eats]

Casey is a potatoaholic he would fall over in a drug induced state if I served this too him LOL

[clare eats]

I was inspired by you ;) http://eatstuff.net/2006/02/20/the-other-side/

[Catherine]

yay Clare! (Yay for Casey!)

[farmgirl]

Yum, Yum, YUM! : )