Cheese-stuffed Potatoes/yogurt-spice/sesame Seed Crust

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup packed coarsely grated monterey jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 3 large unpeeled russet potatoes, scrubbed (each about 16 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1 serrano chili, seeded, minced
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• coarse kosher salt
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika or 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk greek yogurt (a thick yogurt, sold at whole foods market or trader joes or at greek markets)
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds (about 2.6 ounces)

Recipe

• 1 potatoes & stuffing:.
• 2 position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°f
• 3 place potatoes directly on oven rack and bake until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• 4 transfer to platter and let stand until cool enough to handle. ( can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.)*.
• 5 cut potatoes horizontally in half.
• 6 using spoon, scoop out pulp, leaving 1/3-inch-thick shell.
• 7 transfer potato pulp to medium bowl and mash; mix in cheese, melted butter, cilantro, green onion, chile, and sesame seeds.
• 8 season potato mixture generously with salt and pepper; divide among potato shells.(can be made 6 hours ahead.)**
• 9 cover and chill.
• 10 yogurt-spice paste:.
• 11 combine first 6 ingredients in processor.
• 12 using on/off turns, blend until mixture is finely chopped.
• 13 add yogurt, oil, and lemon juice and process until smooth puree forms.
• 14 transfer to small bowl.
• 15 season to taste with salt and pepper.(can be made 6 hours ahead.)***
• 16 cover and refrigerate.
• 17 remove top rack from grill.
• 18 place disposable aluminum baking pan in center of bottom rack (if using 2-burner gas grill, place pan on 1 side of burner).
• 19 add enough water to pan to reach depth of 1 inch.
• 20 prepare barbecue (medium heat).
• 21 if using charcoal grill, light briquettes in chimney and pour half onto rack on each side of disposable pan.
• 22 if using 3-burner gas grill, light burners on left and right, leaving center burner off.
• 23 if using 2-burner gas grill, light burner on side opposite disposable pan.
• 24 return top rack to grill.
• 25 place sheet of foil on grill rack above unlit burner; brush with vegetable oil.
• 26 place sesame seeds on small plate.
• 27 place half of yogurt-spice paste in shallow bowl and reserve.
• 28 spread remaining yogurt-spice paste over top of potato filling in each potato half.
• 29 sprinkle with half of sesame seeds.
• 30 dip bottom of each potato half into reserved spice paste, then dip into remaining sesame seeds.
• 31 place potatoes atop foil on grill rack above disposable pan.
• 32 cover barbecue and grill until potatoes are heated through and bubbling in center, 25 to 30 minutes.
• 33 transfer potatoes to platter and serve.