Potatoes Stuffed With Ham And Gruyere Food

STUFFED TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH HAM, MUSHROOMS, AND GRUYERE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the potatoes on a cutting board. With the tip of a small, sharp knife, score a lid shape on the top of each potato about a third of the way down, cutting in about 1/8 inch all the way around.
• Spread a 1/4-inch-thick bed of rock salt on a baking tray. Place the potatoes on the bed of rock salt. Bake the potatoes until tender enough to be pierced easily with a wooden skewer, about 45 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave them for a few minutes to cool slightly. Leave the oven on.
• Heat a saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and, as soon as it swirls easily, add the butter. When the butter foams, add the ham and mushrooms and saute until they are hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the ham and mushrooms to a small mixing bowl.
• Using a small, sharp knife, and protecting your hand from the heat with a folded kitchen towel, carefully cut off the lids from the still-hot baked potatoes, following the scoring marks. With a sharp-edged tablespoon, scoop the flesh from the potatoes, including the lids, leaving a wall about 1/4-inch thick, and transferring the scooped-out flesh to a large mixing bowl. Return the potato shells and lids to the bed of rock salt. Put the tray back in the hot oven, leaving the oven door open, to keep the potato shells and lids warm.
• With a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and generously with pepper. Add the creme fraiche or sour cream and the butter and mash to combine them with the potatoes. Stir in the ham, mushrooms, and 2 ounces of the cheese.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the temperature up to 500 degrees F.
• Carefully spoon the mashed potato mixture back into each potato shell. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the filling on each potato. Leave the lids unfilled, placing them around the side of the tray.
• Return the tray to the oven and continue baking the potatoes until they are heated through and the cheese has melted, 7 to 10 minutes. If the cheese has not browned, turn on the broiler and broil the potatoes briefly, keeping a close eye on them to prevent burning.
• Using tongs, transfer the potatoes to a heated serving platter or individual plates. Place the lids on top of the potatoes at an angle, inserting 1 end partway into the filling to secure them.

HAM AND CHEESE CROQUETTES

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the potatoes, 1/4 cup flour, cheese, and ham with a large rubber spatula until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Rub your hands with a small amount of flour and form the portions into small flat disks about 1/2-inch thick. Use just enough flour to keep the potatoes from sticking to your hands, but do not coat them completely.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Shallow-fry the croquettes, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper-towel lined plate. Let the croquettes cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
• Cook's Note: This recipe doubles easily if you have enough leftover potatoes.

STUFFED POTATOES WITH HAM, THYME, AND GRUYERE

Steps:

• Rub potatoes with a drizzle of oil and pierce skins with the tines of a fork. Microwave on high 12 minutes or until tender.
• While the potatoes cook in the microwave, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and saute chopped shallots 2 to 3 minutes or until bits are just tender. Set aside.
• Cool potatoes for 5 minutes, split potatoes down the center, and scrape flesh into a bowl. Set skins aside on a non-stick baking sheet. Preheat broiler to high with oven rack 6-inches from the heat source.
• To the cooked potato in the mixing bowl, add shallots, ham strips, grated cheese, butter, milk or half-and-half, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Mash mixture with a potato masher or dinner fork until mixture is combined, but not entirely lump-free.
• Scoop mixture in even amounts into skins and broil 2 or 3 minutes to lightly brown stuffed potatoes on top. Serve the halves of stuffed potatoes with salad, dark bread, and butter.
• Serving suggestions: .

PIEROGIES STUFFED WITH GRUYERE AND HAM

Steps:

• For the mashed potatoes: In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add the potatoes, garlic, sea salt and 1 quart cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard all but 1/2 cup water. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a bowl. Add the cream and butter and use an immersion blender to create a mash; don't overblend. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
• For the pierogies: Mix 1 cup of the prepared mashed potatoes with the ham, Gruyere, 2 tablespoons butter and the chives. (Reserve any remaining mashed potatoes for another use.)
• Add the flour, egg, 1 tablespoon butter, sour cream, kosher salt and 1 cup cold water to a food processor. Mix the dough gently until it turns into a ball and let rest 1 hour or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 3-inch rounds. Brush the dough with a bit of water, then add 2 teaspoons potato-ham mixture. Fold the dough in half and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• Fill a high-sided saute pan with salted water and bring to a simmer. Add the pierogies and gently simmer the pierogies for 2 minutes, drain and dry. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter plus the olive oil to a large cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the pierogies and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with sour cream on the side.

POTATOES STUFFED WITH HAM AND GRUYERE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°.
• Pierce the potatoes with fork and arrange in a circle in microwave oven.
• Cover with damp paper towels.
• Microwave potatoes at high 12 minutes or until done.
• Rearrange after 6 minutes.
• Let stand 2 minutes.
• Split open, lengthwise in half, scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 inch shell.
• Reserve shells, set aside pulp.
• Heat butter in a small fry pan over medium high heat.
• Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
• Add milk; bring to a simmer.
• Pour milk mixture over potato pulp.
• Add 1/4 cup cheese, ham and remaining ingredients; mix well.
• Stuff shells with potato mixture.
• Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup cheese.
• Bake at 500° for 8 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
• Recipe can easily be doubled.

HAM AND GRUYERE POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk, set aside.
• Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in milk mixture; bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add 3/4 cup cheese, stirring until smooth.
• Arrange half of potatoes in a 11 x 7 inch baking dish coasted with cooking spray.Pour 1/2 of sauce over potaotes; top evenly with ham. Top with remaining potatoes and remaining sauce; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
• Cover with foil coated with cooking spray.
• Bake a 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Uncover and bake an additional 45 minutes until potatoes are tender and the cheese is golden group.
• Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

STUFFED POTATOES WITH HAM, THYME AND GRUYERE

Steps:

• Rub potatoes with a drizzle of oil and pierce with a fork. Microwave on high (12 min) or bake until tender.
• Cool potatoes for 5 minutes, then split down the center and scrape potato flesh into a bowl. Set skins aside on a nonstick baking sheet. Preheat broiler to high.
• Meanwhile heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté shallots, 2-3 minutes until just tender.
• To the cooked potato mixture, add shallots, ham, cheese, butter, milk, thyme and salt and pepper.
• Mash with a potato masher until combined, but not entirely lump-free.
• Scoop mixture in even amounts into skins and broil, 2-3 minutes, to lightly brown on top.
• Serve 2 halves with salad, dark bread and butter.