No blue cheese and peppercorn sauce required for your fillet, not with this gutsy potato sharing the same plate. The sweetness of a gentle blue cheese hits just the right note with the heat of black pepper. Both are tempered by a bit of cream and butter, which flesh out these twice-baked beauties. Because the potatoes can be fully prepped ahead of time and baked just before serving, they are excellent menu picks for entertaining.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes (about ¾ pound / 340 g each), well-scrubbed and pierced 3 times with a knife
- ¾ cup (180 ml) half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup (90 g) crumbled mild blue cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake until the jackets start to crisp and the centers are extremely tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour (more for a larger potato). Remove from oven and reserve until cool enough to handle.
- Cut each potato in half vertically. Gently scoop out the filling of each half, leaving approximately ¼-inch (6-mm) border of cooked flesh on each potato, being careful not to break through the skin. If necessary, cut a small flat space on the bottom center of each half so it can sit upright when returned to baking sheet for second cooking.
- Place the scooped potato flesh into a large bowl. Mash, using a manual masher, or for a fluffier finish, blend with an electric mixer (Basic Mashing Tools), with half-and-half, butter, and blue cheese. Add the salt and pepper and taste to adjust seasoning as needed. Gently spoon the filling back into the reserved potato halves, forming a small mound on top of each.
- Place the filled potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and return to preheated 425° F (220° C) oven. Cook for 25–30 minutes, until puffy, hot, and just golden on top. Serve hot, with a light crumbling of blue cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Crunchy, smoky grilled steaks are a welcome addition to this side party!
