Potatoes have a blissful affinity for some of our favorite things: cheese, garlic, butter, and sour cream. Indulge!
Serves 4
Active Time 15 minutes
Start to finish 1-1/2 hours
1 medium head garlic (about 2 1/2 inches diameter)
4 medium russet potatoes (2 pounds total), scrubbed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Cheddar (about 6 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400 F.
Cut off and discard top quarter of garlic head. Wrap garlic in foil. Prick potatoes with a fork. Bake potatoes and garlic on oven rack for 45 minutes. Remove garlic and let cool. Continue baking potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes more. (Leave oven on.)
Squeeze pulp from garlic cloves into a medium bowl and discard skin. Stir in butter, sour cream, and 1 cup Cheddar. Cutting length-wise, slice off top quarter of each potato and discard. Leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells, scoop flesh out of potatoes and add to cheese mixture. Mash with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper and divide among shells.
Arrange potatoes in a small baking pan and sprinkle with remaining half cup Cheddar. Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.
We thank The Gourmet Cookbook for this recipe.