Twice-Baked Irish Potatoes

Twice-Baked Irish Potatoes

David Venable

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 4 russet potatoes
  • 5 oz thick-cut, smoked bacon (medium diced)
  • 1 leek, tender inner white bulb only, cleaned, diced small (about 1 cup)
  • 5 oz chopped Lacinato or Tuscan kale
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 3 Tbsp Irish butter
  • 1/2 cup shredded Irish cheddar
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Scrub potatoes and pierce along the tops with a fork, bake for about an hour, or until tender. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the mixture.

Add bacon to the pan over medium heat until crisp. Strain fat from bacon and return to the pan, while reserving the crisp bacon. Add the leeks to the pan and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped kale and cook until bright green and tender, about 5 minutes, add bacon and season with the salt and pepper, remove from heat and reserve.

Begin heating milk and butter together, until butter is melted.

When the potatoes are tender, let cool slightly then cut in half with a very sharp knife. Gently scoop the flesh from the potatoes, leaving about a 1/4" of potato around the “shells” and place into a bowl of a stand mixer. Set the potato shells aside on a baking sheet.

Turn oven down to 350°F.

With the whisk attachment, break up the potato in the bowl, then begin whisking in the milk and butter until smooth, fold in cheese, kale and bacon mixture and salt.

Evenly, pipe or spoon mixture into shells and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned.

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