Jalapeno Twice-Baked Potatoes

Why hadn't I thought of this before? My other half is the twice-baked potato chef in our house. He is a master at blending baked potato, sour cream, cheese, butter and bacon then stuffing it back into the potato shell for a final heating. Even he admits, though, the addition of a bit of diced jalapeno pepper (especially if you take the time to roast them) is a fabulous idea.

The recipe posted below (from Texas chef extraordinaire Jon Bonnell) takes things one step further. The potatoes du jour are new potatoes, making the final result perfect party finger food.

Jalapeno Twice-Baked Potatoes
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

3 pounds small new potatoes
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, plus very thin slices for garnish
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sour cream
3 strips bacon, cooked
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 scallions, chopped (green parts only)

Boil the potatoes until they become slightly soft. (The amount of time will completely depend on what type of potatoes you decide to buy. I like the baby reds for this dish, which generally can be boiled in approximately 15 minutes.)



Remove the potatoes from the boiling water and chill. Cut into halves and scoop out as much of the inner potato as possible, while still leaving enough of the skin to stay together.



In a small saucepan, warm the butter, sour cream salt and pepper, then pour the contents over the potato. Roast the jalapenos until black on all sides, then place in a Ziploc bag and allow to sweat for 10 minutes. Scrape off the black skins with the back edge of a knife blade and remove the seeds and stem. Chop the roasted jalapenos and combine with the potatoes, and add the scallions. Mix well, then stuff the mixture back into the potato skins.



Top each one with grated cheese, pieces of the bacon and bake in the oven at 325° degrees until warmed through (8-10 minutes). For an extra garnish, top with thinly shaved slices of fresh jalapeno. (The amount of jalapeno can be altered, depending on the tolerance of your crowd.)