Danish Stuffed Potatoes
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 medium to large baking potatoes, like russets, washed
Filling:
1 shallot, chopped (or ½ cup chopped onion)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 strips bacon chopped into small pieces
4 oz. Danish Havarti cheese, shredded, about 1 cup
4 oz. cream cheese
1 handful baby spinach, chopped (or broccoli, or mushrooms, etc)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only, about 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce potato skins with the tines of a fork. Wrap individually in aluminum foil. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.
About 20 minutes before the potatoes are done, heat a skillet and add the bacon pieces. Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add chopped shallots and garlic and saute in bacon renderings for 2 to 3 minutes or until bits are just tender. Set aside.
When done, cool potatoes for 5 minutes and remove foil. Slice the potatoes 1/2 inch from a side. Scrape the potato flesh from the removed side into a mixing bowl. Discard the side skin. Being careful to keep at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the skins, remove most of the remaining potato flesh and place into the mixing bowl. Set hollowed out potatoes aside on a non-stick baking sheet or in a lightly oiled baking pan.
To the cooked potato in the mixing bowl, add shallots and garlic, bacon, grated cheese, evaporated milk, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Mash mixture with a potato masher or dinner fork until mixture is combined, but not entirely lump-free.
Scoop mixture in even amounts into hollowed potatoes and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes, or until lightly browned.
Serving suggestion - Stuffed potatoes, grilled bone-in rib eye steaks with fresh blanched asparagus.
