In the United States, barbecues are usually accompanied by salads and these potatoes that are expected even if no one has announced them, that is, they are a side dish that everyone expects.
The way to cook them is usually on the grill, on the same barbecue where the meat is made, although in this case it is usually covered to reach the right temperature to soften the huge potatoes that are used. This way of cooking potatoes is complex and slow, so we will use the conventional oven.
INGREDIENTS (4 people):
- 4 very large potatoes *
- 4 slices of bacon
- A dozen chives
- 1 large fresh onion
- 250 ml (1 cup) sour cream **
- 200 grams (7 oz)of cheddar cheese
- 60 grams (2 oz) of butter
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
* The recommended potatoes are called Russet. They are large, with rough skin and easy-to-bake pulp. Choose the largest ones and that they are all the same in size, so the baking time will be similar.
** You can find sour cream although it will be easier for you to make it at home with more common ingredients. To make sour cream, just use about 250 ml (1 cup) of cooking cream (approximately 18% GM) and add the juice of one lemon. Let it rest for an hour and you already have the sour cream.
First of all we wash the potatoes thoroughly because they are roasted with the skin. They must be very clean, without a trace of dust or dirt.
Then we wrap them one by one in aluminum foil so that the shiny part is inwards, towards the potato, and the dull part of the aluminum outwards. We preheat the oven to 190 degrees (375 F) and introduce. Bake time will vary depending on the size of the potato. A large but normal sized potato can bake in 40 minutes while an extra-large one can take up to an hour and a half. With a toothpick, poke from time to time and when it gets into the center of the potato with ease, it will be ready.
While the potatoes are being made, fry the bacon with a teaspoon of oil until it is crisp (it can also be done in the same oven in which we are roasting the potatoes). We cut the bacon into small pieces, just like we do with the chives.
Once this happens, the potatoes are collected from the oven (do not turn it off) and with the hand covered in a protective glove, we slice the skin of one long side of the potato and with a teaspoon we proceed to empty it leaving at least half an inch of pulp stuck to the skin. It is impossible to do this if the potato is cold, so it is best to do it carefully so as not to burn yourself.
The extracted pulp is simply chopped with a fork and mixed with the bacon pieces (we reserve a few that we will use to decorate), the chives (the same as with the bacon, we leave a few to decorate), the finely chopped onion, the cream sour, melted butter and grated cheddar cheese, of which we will also leave a little to top the potatoes. Also add salt (half a teaspoon per potato should be enough) and ground black pepper to taste.
We mix well until we obtain a kind of paste with which we will fill each potato. Once filled, sprinkle some of the leftover bacon, chives and a handful of grated cheese on top.
We return the potatoes to the oven, leave about 10 minutes and ready to eat.
They are served to the diner very hot, still wrapped in aluminum foil and eaten with the skin.
A side dish that is often better than the meat it goes with.
