BAKED STUFFED POTATOES SKIN

Baked Stuffed Potatoes skin is such a comfort food for a lazy brunch.  These stuffed potatoes are wonderful with everything from Roast Chicken to Steak and from grilled Fish or toasted Bread. All you need to complete this meal is some bright Green Salads.

This scrumptious baked stuffed potatoes with skin is prepared with luscious ingredients like sour cream, bacon and cheese, filled into the potato skins and bake until puffed and golden.

I have used long potatoes that will hold the stuffing length wise and cook evenly upto the middle part, rather than using round shape potatoes.  The skin of the potatoes should be firm and thick, as they tend to split when scooping and stuffing.  

Tips to enhance the recipe: This recipe can be varied by adding other ingredients such as eggs, mushrooms and bell peppers too or vary the type of cheese you use.

Ingredients:

• 2 long Potatoes
• 1 large Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup Scallions
• 4 strips Bacon
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 tsp. Chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. Thyme
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper crushed
• Salt, as required

Procedure:

Take the whole potato and lightly put 2 slit length wise on the potatoes, this is just to fasten the boiling process.  Parboil the potatoes in a pressure cooker.  

While the potatoes are being boiled, slice/chop the onions, garlic, bacon and scallions.

Allow the potatoes to cool down.  Now from the slit, cut open the potatoes to half length wise and carefully scoop out all the flesh, retaining a thin layer of potato to the skin.

Heat the pan and add chopped bacons.  Let the bacons fry and release its natural fat.  In the same fat, add in garlic and then add the onions.  Add in all the spice powders – turmeric, chilly, paprika, thyme and salt.  Now add in the scooped potatoes pulp and roughly mash them to bitable size, do not over mash and make it mushy.  Give a good mix until all the flavors amalgamate.  This should take maximum 4 minutes and set it aside to cool down a bit.

Spoon in the stuffing to the scooped out Potato shells.  

Add in a big dollop of sour cream and spread it over the filling.  Add some mozzarella and cheddar cheese on top.  Finally sprinkle some thyme and crushed pepper.

Preheat the microwave oven.  Place the potatoes in a baking tray and grill for 8 to 10 minutes at 180^o C or until u see the golden brown on top.    

Garnish with some more sour cream.

Make ahead:

This recipe can be made ahead and can be refrigerated for upto 2 days or can be put in freezer for long time.  Just fill the potatoes with the stuffing, allow it to cool down.  Refrigerate the potatoes in a covered container for upto 2 days.  If you wish to prepare bulk quantity and want to save for future, then upon cooling, freeze on a tray for an hour.  Wrap the frozen stuffed potatoes well with plastic wrap and freeze up to weeks or a month. To use after freezing, thaw them to room temperature and then bake them.

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