Spinach And Goat Cheese Stuffed Potatoes Food

SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE STUFFED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Make several small slits in the potatoes with the tip of a sharp knife to vent them.
• Bake the potatoes for 1 hour, or until they can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F, and allow the potatoes to cool for a few minutes before handling.
• While the potatoes bake, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking 1 minute longer. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, sauté 1 minute, then add the spinach, and continue cooking until wilted and nicely combined with the other ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Once the potatoes have cooled, cut a 1/4-inch thick slice from the top of each. Using a teaspoon, scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving about 1/4-inch of the potato "wall" in tact. Be careful not to break the skins.
• Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter along with the cream (if using) to the potatoes and mash with a fork. Fold in the goat cheese, reserving a little for garnish.
• Spoon equal portions of the potato-cheese mixture back into each potato, pressing it against the sides to make a cavity for the spinach down the center. Add a portion of spinach to each potato, and top with a little of the reserved goat cheese.
• Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese on top has softened.

CHEDDAR & SPINACH TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Scrub potatoes; pierce several times with a fork. Place in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan; bake 60-70 minutes or until tender., When cool enough to handle, cut each potato lengthwise in half. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-in.-thick shells. In a large bowl, mash pulp with milk and butter, adding spinach, Monterey Jack cheese, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, onion, salt and pepper., Spoon into potato shells; return to baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

SPINACH, POTATO AND GOAT'S CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Make the Shortcrust Pastry, recipe follows, leaving to chill for 30 minutes before using. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the tart tin with the dough and bake 'blind'. Cook's Note: Blind Baking. To pre-bake a pastry shell before adding filling, first chill the pastry, and then line your pan. Line the pastry with foil, parchment or greaseproof paper, leaving plenty to come up the sides. Fill with baking beans (alternatively, for a really smooth finish use plastic wrap to line the pastry: place 2 sheets over the pastry, add the beans and bring the edges into the center.) Whichever method you choose, bake 'blind' in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pastry feels dry. Remove the paper and beans, and brush with a little leftover beaten egg, and return to the oven for 2 minutes. If there are any little holes or cracks in the pastry, just patch it up with any leftover raw pastry before you return it to the oven. Remove from the oven, and set aside in the pan while you make the filling. The pastry can be baked a day in advance and kept covered until you need it. Filling: Wash and dry the spinach, removing any tough stalks and stems, if using large spinach leaves. In a medium-size saucepan, cook the spinach in just the water that's clinging to it, over a low heat until it wilts. Drain the spinach in a colander or sieve, and let cool a little, then squeeze most of the moisture out with your hands, and roughly chop. Meanwhile, steam or boil the potatoes, until just cooked, and cool the potatoes on a tray or board. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs, and add the cream, salt, and pepper, lemon zest, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and grated Parmesan. Whisk these ingredients together, and then add the spinach, and mix through. Season well as the potatoes are very mild and need a good contrast. Spread the potato slices over the base of the prepared tart, and dot with the goat's cheese, reserving a few slices of each to place on the top, if you wish. Gently spoon the spinach cream mixture over the cheese, as high as you can go. If you are concerned about spillage, carry the tart minus the last few spoons of filling over to the oven. Place the pan in the oven, and then add the remaining filling, and any remaining potato, and cheese slices. Bake until the tart is golden brown and just set in the center, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven, and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
• Shortcrust Pastry
• Place the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor and whiz or pulse briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together. If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring the dough together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough, until it is about 3/4-inch thick, and then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 1 crust (about 14 ounces).

GOAT CHEESE AND SPINACH POTATO DUMPLINGS WITH BACON GRAVY

Steps:

• Making the Goat Cheese Filling: Add all ingredients into a small bowl, blend together with a fork, and set aside in refrigerator.
• Mixing together the Potato Dumpling Dough: In a large mixing bowl add mashed potatoes, flour, egg, along with salt and pepper. Stir together with a wooden spoon or your hands into a thick, slightly sticky dough. Dip hands in flour, as needed, and divide dough into 8 golf-sized pieces. Dust with flour if needed, flatten each piece and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
• Assembling the Potato Dumplings: On the center of each piece of flattened dough spoon a heaping teaspoon of goat cheese filling. Fold dough, like a taco, encasing filling in the dough, then roll into a ball. Roll in a bowl of unbleached flour, dust off, and place back on the sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Let rest in refrigerator, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes. (Note: Spread any leftover goat cheese filling on a water cracker -- truly a tasty treat for the cook :).
• Preparing the Country-Style Bacon Gravy: Place bacon strips on a baking pan covered with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, crumble, and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. In a small saucepan, stir together milk, chicken broth, whole allspice, and bay leaf. Over high heat, bring this mixture just to steaming, immediately turn to low and steep liquid with spices, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat to sizzling. Toss in onions and red peppers, stir to coat with olive oil. Sweat veggies, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn heat to medium, add red pepper flakes, garlic, butter chunks, and stir until butter is melted. Sprinkle flour over the veggie/butter mixture and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, so mixture does not stick or burn in the saute pan. Strain the spices from the milk and chicken broth. Now, vigorously whisk in 1/2 of the hot liquid into the veggie/flour mixture; sauce will thicken. Pour in the remaining hot liquid, continue to occasionally whisk over medium heat until thickened and heated through (do not bring to a boil). Remove from heat, mix in the 6 slices of crumbled bacon, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Cooking and Serving the Potato Dumplings: Over high heat bring a large pot of water to boiling; add a pinch or two of salt, if desired. Turn down to medium high heat, carefully drop in the prepared potato dumplings, give the boiling water a stir to make sure potato dumplings are not stuck to the bottom of the pot, and then tightly cover the pot. Boil for 15-20 minutes (the light and fluffy dumplings will float to the top). With a slotted spoon, scoop out the potato dumplings into bowls, smother with 1/2 cup of the hot bacon gravy garnished with bacon crumbles and chopped green onion tops. Steamed carrot coins or a green salad compliment this dish nicely as a side.

POTATO, SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE EGGROLLS WITH SUNDRIED TOMATO

Steps:

• Cook bacon, reserve 1 Tbls dripppings for dip, use the rest of the drippings to saute potatoes for about 5 minutes. Put potatoes, drained of excess grease, into a bowl. Stir in spinach, red peepper, bacon, onions, goat cheese, Greek Seasoning and salt. Let that cool while you mix together the dip. In a food processor, put the dip ingredients in and pulse, about 2 minutes, until you get a nice creamy mixture. Refrigerate until your ready to use.
• Heat oil to 350. While that is heating take out your wrappers. Take a wrapper, lightly wet the outer edges of wrapper with water so that the wrappers will stick together when rolled, and put 1/2 cup of potato mixture in it and roll according to the directions on the package. Put aside until all the eggrolls are filled. Fry eggrolls for approx 5 minutes or until golden brown. Let them drain and rest on a paper towel until all the eggrolls are cooked. Do not overcrowd eggrolls in the oil. I have a Fry Daddy and it usually fits 4 to 5 at a time. Serve cut on a diagonal with your dip.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• For marinated mushrooms:
• Whisk first 6 ingredients and Marsala, if desired, in medium bowl for marinade. Stir in thyme sprigs. Cut stems from mushrooms and place stems in processor. Arrange mushrooms, gill side up, in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over mushrooms and marinate 4 hours, turning to coat occasionally.
• For filling:
• Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain; cool. Using hands, squeeze excess water from spinach. Place in small bowl.
• Add half of button mushrooms to processor with portobello mushroom stems. Using on/off turns, process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to medium bowl and repeat with remaining mushrooms. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to brown, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add chopped mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and increase heat to high. Cook until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season mushroom mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl; cool to room temperature.
• Add spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and breadcrumbs to mushroom mixture; toss to distribute evenly. Add goat cheese and toss gently to distribute evenly. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover filling and let stand at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer marinated mushrooms, with some marinade still clinging, to rimmed baking sheet, gill side down. Roast until beginning to soften, about 15 minutes. Turn mushrooms over. Divide filling among mushrooms. Sprinkle remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over and bake until heated through and cheese begins to brown, about 15 minutes.

SPINACH & GOAT'S CHEESE PUFF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Unroll the pastry and put in a large Swiss roll tin. Trim any excess pastry at either end if necessary. Prick all over with a fork, then bake for 10 mins.
• Use a hand blender to blitz the spinach with the eggs, milk, half the goat's cheese and nutmeg, until the spinach is chopped but not puréed. Take the pastry from the oven and press down the centre, as it will have puffed up. Spoon on the filling, scatter with the rest of the cheese, then bake for 15 mins until the filling is set.

SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and grease two 9 x13" oblong pans + a 9" square pan.
• Pour a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan, set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the 2 tbsp of kosher salt.
• Add the pasta and cook 8-9 minutes (it will not be completely done). Drain well.
• In a large bowl, mash the tofu with the ¼ tsp kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic, leeks, oregano, thyme, parsley, half of each cheese, spinach and 1 cup of the marinara sauce.
• Spoon mixture into the shells, placing them in the prepared pan as you go.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese and pour remaining marinara overtop.
• Bake for 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

POTATO STRATA WITH SPINACH, SAUSAGE AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F.
• Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Remove the sausage from its casings, and cook the sausage thoroughly, crumbling it into small pieces. Drain the sausage on a paper towel and set aside. Pour off the remaining fat, then add the spinach to the pan and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze the spinach so that excess liquid is removed.
• Place the butter in a 2-quart baking dish, and place in the oven to melt.
• In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, 2/3 of the goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, flour, salt and pepper. Add in the diced potatoes, spinach and sausage. Mix to combine.
• Carefully remove the dish with the melted butter from the oven, then pour the egg mixture into the dish. Crumble the remaining goat cheese over the top, then carefully place back in the oven.
• Bake the strata until the eggs are set in the middle, about 50-55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before eating.