Swedish Chef's Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 russet baking potatoes
4 slices bacon, fried (drained on a paper towel)
3 T. cream cheese
½ c. sour cream
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3 T. unsalted butter
salt and pepper, to taste
2 T. chives, chopped


Wash and scrub two russet potatoes and dry with paper towel.  Using a fork, pierce several holes in one side of each potato.  Preheat the oven to 425º.  Once the oven has come to temperature, lightly rub each potato with olive oil and place in the oven.  Bake approximately 30-45 minutes or until the potato is soft to the touch.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

 

Once the potatoes have cooled, using a serrated knife, carefully cut off  approximately a half inch of each potato.

Using a spoon, carefully scoop the potato out into a bowl, leaving approximately a half inch in the shell.  Also scoop out any potato in the piece that has been cut.

 

 

Using a fork, mash the warm potato until all lumps are gone.  Cube the cream cheese into half inch cubes and place in the bowl.  Add butter and sour cream.  Sprinkle in cheddar cheese, chives and bacon.  Add salt and pepper, to taste.

 

Combine ingredients in the bowl with a spoon, until thoroughly mixed.  Stuff the potato shells with the mixture.  The volume of the potato will increase, due to the additional ingredients.  Therefore, make sure to overstuff your potato with the mixture.  (You may still have extra filling left over).

Place potatoes in a small dish and replace the tops to that the mixture inside does not burn.

Approximately 20 minutes before serving, bake potatoes in a 375º oven until mixture is hot and cheese is melted.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

It's spring and the rhubarb is looking beautiful.  I decided today to harvest some of it and make this strawberry rhubarb crisp.  It is a combination of two separate recipes but I think it turned out delicious.  I am sure once you will try it you will like it as well.


Ingredients:
1 qt. strawberries, hulled, rinsed and cut in half
2 c. rhubarb, rinsed and cut into half inch chunks
2 T. corn starch
½ c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract

 

Rinse fruit.  Remove strawberry hulls and cut in half.  Cut rhubarb into half inch pieces.

 

Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.

 
Spray a 2 qt. glass or ceramic baking dish with non-stick coating.  Place fruit mixture evenly in the dish.


Topping:
1 c. flour
1 c. quick oats
1 c. brown sugar (packed)
½ c. (1 stick) melted butter
1 t. cinnamon

 

 

Mix all ingredients until combined.

Sprinkle topping over the fruit.

Place dish on a cookie sheet lined with foil, parchment or Silpat (in case of boil over).  Place in a 375º oven and bake for 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Fried Oyster Po Boys with Remoulade

Ingredients for remoulade:


½ c. mayonnaise
1 T. dijon mustard
1 t. white wine vinegar
dash of hot sauce
¼ t. paprika
1 t. capers (rinsed, drained and roughly chopped)
1 scallion (white and green parts sliced)
1 T. parsley (roughly chopped)
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Add all ingredients to a medium bowl.  Stir to combine and allow to set.




Ingredients for fried oysters:

 
2 lbs. oysters, shucked
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. corn meal
1 c. all purpose flour
½ t. cayenne pepper
48 fl. oz. canola oil (for frying)
steak rolls
spinach, lettuce or other leafy greens

Drain oysters in a sieve.  Rinse with cold water and allow to drain.  Place them in a large bowl and cover with buttermilk and hot sauce.  Allow to soak for one hour.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, corn meal and cayenne pepper.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the canola oil to approximately 360º.  (A thermometer is helpful when preparing this meal).

 

Remove oysters from buttermilk and dredge each one in the corn meal mixture.

 

 
Carefully, place oysters into the hot oil, frying in batches, turning until golden brown.  Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate and repeat until all oysters have been fried.  To keep warm, oysters may be placed in a warm oven.

 

Cut bread in half and spread remoulade on each side.  Place lettuce on bottom half and cover with fried oysters.