Baltic Stuffed Potatoes

These are from Silvena Rowe who is a tv chef in the UK that specializes in cooking Eastern European food. She says this recipe is inspired by the tradition of mushroom hunting in the Balkan countries. I am a huge fan of mushrooms so I know I will love this too. Essentially they are a mushroom stuffed twice baked potato.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  large baking potatoes, washed and dried
•  salt and pepper
• 3⁄4 ounce butter
• 4  shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 7  ounces  wild mushrooms, wiped and dried
• 3 1⁄2 fluid ounces sour cream
• 3  teaspoons fresh tarragon, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pierce the potatoes and bake them for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until cooked.
3. Remove from the oven.
4. When cool enough to handle, halve them and coop the potato flesh out into a bowl, leaving 3/4 inch shells.
5. Season the shells with salt and pepper and keep to one side.
6. In a small saute pan, melt the butter and fry the shallots, garlic and mushrooms until slightly colored, about 10 minutes.
7. Mash the potato pulp well, adding the sauteed mushrooms, sour cream and tarragon.
8. Season to taste and mix thoroughly.
9. Stuff the mixture back into the potato shells, piling it high.
10. Bake in the same hot oven until the potatoes are golden in color, about 15 to 20 minutes.