Loaded spuds for 4

Steamy baked potatoes, topped with sour cream, chives and bacon bits must be one of America’s best-loved comfort foods. On a cold winter night, nothing fills you up better. I fell in love with the fully loaded tubers when I first arrived in the United States from India, about 13 years ago. Unlike the highly-spiced varieties that I’d known growing up — always either sautéed or in curries — the simple baked spud was fluffy, creamy and soothing. I tasted the first one at the college cafeteria at Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Va., and was instantly hooked. A decade later, however, baked potatoes have become a "ho-hum" choice at our house — like that trusty green salad that you start taking for granted. Knowing the tasty tuber had more to give, I started experimenting to see how I could cook up a more satisfying side.

First, I discovered, the base has to be perfect. "Use a good starchy potato, like an Idaho or Russet," suggests Mark Bittman, author of "How to Cook Everything: The Basics" (Wiley, 2003). "They provide a pleasant mealiness. Yukon gold, the closest thing to an all-purpose yet, is also good." Bittman advises oven-baking the spuds right on the racks, since wrapping them in foil or microwaving them just doesn’t produce the right pairing of crisp skin and fluffy center.

Now the potato is ready to be topped. The classic combos are always tasty, but to get out of a gastronomic rut, reach for more intriguing ingredients: Prepared horseradish and cream, sprinkled with your favorite cheese and broiled; jalapenos with cheddar; flaked poached salt cod; pesto sauce and bacon bits or sun-dried tomatoes; hollandaise sauce; salmon roe and chives; even ladlefuls of broccoli and cheese soup. Flavorings generally recommended for mashed potatoes — like pureed roasted garlic and blue cheese — will also work deliciously as toppings. If you still want more ideas, try "Potato Primer" on www.eGullet.org , an online class that provides 130 potato recipes for free.

Want a more honeyed variation? Try baking a sweet potato. Its juices caramelize as it cooks, so I top it with lemon, coarse salt and ground roasted cumin, for a tongue-tickling combination of sweet and savory. Or there’s always the standard: Salt, butter, butter, and oh, some more butter. 

Uber Tubers

WITH MUSTARD AND CRUNCHY SHALLOTS

Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes (such as Idaho or Russet), scrubbed

4 medium shallots

1/4 cup vegetable oil (such as canola or grapeseed)

Salt to taste

1/4 cup warm milk (preferably whole)

2 tablespoons butter

2 to 3 tablespoons dry vermouth (or dry white wine)

1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a skewer or a thin-bladed knife to poke a hole or two in each potato. Place them in the oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until you can easily poke a thin-bladed knife into them.

While the potatoes are baking, slice the shallots as thinly as possible. In a small skillet, add enough oil to reach a depth of about 1/8 inch and turn the heat to medium high. After about 2 minutes, add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until they brown, about 5 minutes. It may not take that long, so watch carefully; once they brown, they’ll do so quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel; sprinkle them with salt. (You can also do this several hours in advance.)

When potatoes are done baking, cut each in half and scoop out the insides, leaving about a 1/4 inch around the shell. In a large skillet on low heat, add the potato flesh and milk and stir. Then add the butter, vermouth and mustard and stir until the butter melts. Season to taste.

Spoon the mixture into the potato shells. Top with shallots and serve immediately.

Per serving: 161 calories, 3 gm protein, 17 gm carbohydrates, 9 gm fat, 19 mg cholesterol, 4 gm saturated fat, 168 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber

BAKED POTATOES ALIGOTE

Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes (Idaho or Russet), scrubbed

1/4 cup warm milk (preferably whole)

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 ounces Tomme, Raclette, Gruyere or similar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Minced chives for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a skewer or a thin-bladed knife to poke a hole or two in each potato. Place them in the oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until you can easily poke a thin-bladed knife into them.

When potatoes are done, cut each in half and scoop out the insides, leaving about a 1/4 inch around the shell. In a large skillet on low heat, add the potato flesh and milk and stir. Then add the butter and stir until the butter melts. Season to taste.

Remove from heat, add the cheese, and stir until the cheese melts (If the cheese is not especially soft, you may have to do this over the lowest possible heat). Spoon the mixture into the potato shells. Top with chives and serve immediately.

Adapted from "Simple to Spectacular" By Mark Bittman and Jean-George Vongerichten (Broadway Books, 2000).

Per serving: 227 calories, 10 gm protein, 12 gm carbohydrates, 16 gm fat, 49 mg cholesterol, 9 gm saturated fat, 237 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber