Elegant Tarragon Twice Baked Potatoes Recipes

TWICE BAKED POTATOES (STUFFED JACKET POTATOES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan). Place a rack on a tray (recommended but not critical).
• Prick potatoes: Wash, scrub and dry potatoes well. Prick each potato 8 times with a fork.
• Oil and salt: Put potatoes in a bowl, pour over oil and rub onto potatoes. Then sprinkle over salt and use your hands to coat. (Just do this as best you can. Some will stick, much will not!)
• Bake: Place potatoes on rack and bake for 75 minutes or until you can pierce with a small knife with no resistance.
• Cook bacon: Place bacon in a cold non-stick pan over medium heat. When the fat starts to melt, turn the heat up to high and cook bacon until golden. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat butter and cream: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then add cream and heat until hot, but don't let it boil. (You could also do this in a microwave)
• Lower oven: Turn oven down to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan).
• Scoop out potato flesh: Allow potatoes to cool enough so you can handle them (or use a tea towel). Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out potato flesh, leaving 0.7cm (1/3") thick layer of potato still stuck to skin.
• Mash potato: Place potato flesh in a bowl and mash while hot until smooth.
• Add-ins: Add half the cheese (save the rest for topping), most of the bacon (save a bit for garnish), all the green onion, hot cream and butter, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Stuff and top with cheese: Fill potato skins with the mashed potato mixture. Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden and bubbly.
• Serve: Serve immediately, garnish with sour cream, reserved bacon and chives.

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH GOAT CHEESE AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the potatoes on the oven rack and bake until very tender, about 1 hour. Protecting your hand with an oven mitt, slice the top third off of each potato and discard or save for another use. Being careful to leave the skins intact, use a spoon to gently scoop out the flesh from the potatoes and place it in a mixing bowl. Transfer the potato skins to a baking sheet.
• While the potato flesh is still hot, add the goat cheese and butter and use a potato masher or fork to mash them in. Continue to mash until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the milk and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pile the mashed potatoes back into the skins. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the potatoes and bake until the tops are golden, 20 to 30 minutes.

ELEGANT TARRAGON TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• NOTE: Depending on the size of your potatoes is how much of the other ingredients you will need. If the potatoes tend to be more medium-sized than large, start with the smaller amounts.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pierce potatoes, rub the potatoes with oil, sprinkle with the coarse salt, and bake 1 hour or until tender when tested. Set the oven to broil.
• In a small pan, heat the butter and milk, but do not boil.
• Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp. Mash, until creamy, with the butter/milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cheese and tarragon.
• Place the potatoes into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe back into the shells.
• Broil the potatoes until the top is just golden brown, about 1-2 minutes, depending on your broiler.

GREAT TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a small bowl combine oil, salt and pepper. Rub potato skins with oil mixture.
• Bake potatoes (do not wrap in foil) in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until soft.
• Remove potatoes from oven and slice skin off of the top. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl, reserving the intact skins. To the potatoes add cheese, egg, butter and half of the green onions. Mash potatoes while gradually adding milk. Spoon the mixture into the skins and top with remaining onions and paprika.
• Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

ULTIMATE TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
• When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
• Bake for another 15 minutes.