Twice Baked Potatoes with Smoked Paprika

Today is potluck day and the theme is potatoes. It is a potato competition.

I recently read a HARTMANsalt article about the top picks for 2011. One of the items listed was smoked paprika. We have a bunch of vegetarians where I work and I have always been puzzled as to how to add a smoky flavor (bacon is traditionally the cheater ingredient in our pot luck cook-offs). Smoked Gouda is good but it definitely has to work well with cheese (I know, twice baked potatoes would have). Chipotle is brilliant but it adds a lot of heat which, although always welcome to me, could cost one the contest if the judges are capsicum lightweights. Smoked paprika seemed just the ticket.

Upon purchase, I opened the lid and found the aroma to be not unlike that of bacon. If the flavor lives up to the smell we might have a vegetarian cheater ingredient.

Twice Baked Potatoes with Smoked Paprika

3 pound bag Yukon gold (or other) potatoes
grated cheddar cheese, divided
sour cream
milk
salt and pepper
smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Poke with a fork or knife if you are that kind and place on middle rack of oven for about an hour.

Remove potatoes from oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle.

Half that potatoes and scoop most of the flesh into a large bowl reserving the hollowed out halves. Now you want to think like you are making a very rich potato puree. I added a few handfuls of cheese and a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream and salt. I mashed, too dry. My wife began fine tuning the texture with milk. Again with the salt (potatoes can take a lot of salt, if your soup is ever too salty, add a couple of diced potatoes, if appropriate).

Once your potato mixture is to your liking, scoop into the hollowed out potato halves. Top with more cheese, salt and pepper and sprinkle liberally with smoked paprika. They can now be baked in a 350 degree F oven until hot and beginning to brown at the edges.

We did a test potato last night and the smoked paprika was amazing.

Shrimp13