[RECIPE] Holiday Stuffed Sweet Potato - with bacon, pecans & sage

Ingredients

4 x 300g / 10oz sweet potatoes , skin on, washed and dried
1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter
5 tbsp pecan nuts (Note 2)
200g / 7 oz streaky bacon , chopped (Note 5 to omit)
1 1/2 cups colby cheese , shredded (Note 3)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika

Panko topping:

1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp sage leaves , finely chopped (Note 4)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan forced).
Bake - Prick the skin of the potatoes 15 times with a fork. Place on a foil lined baking tray and bake for 75 minutes or until soft all the way through (check with a butter knife).
Scoop - Once potatoes cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes just to handle. Cut in half lengthwise then scoop out the flesh, leaving a 0.5cm (0.2") wall (use a tea towel if hot). Place flesh in a bowl.
Stuffing (*see below for prepping components*)- Mash the potatoes with a fork. Then add the browned butter, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder and paprika. The add half of each the pecans, bacon and cheese (rest reserved for toppings). Stir until combined.
Stuff - Place halved sweet potato back on a paper lined baking tray and stuff them equally with filling. Sprinkle with leftover cheese and bake for 25 minutes until cheese is melted.
Crunchy topping - Top with reserved pecans, bacon and panko mixture. Bake for another 3 to 4 minutes
Rest for 5 minutes then serve!

Stuffing & topping components

Prepare these while the potatoes are baking.
Browned butter - Melt the butter in a small silver pan or saucepan over medium heat. Leave to simmer on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, until (when you push foam aside) you see little golden-brown bits and it smells nutty. Immediately pour into a small bowl (including the golden bits) and set aside.
Toast pecans - Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add pecans and toast for 2 to 3 minutes until they have golden spots. Transfer to cutting board, cool then finely chop.
Crispy bacon - Add bacon into the same pan over medium heat. When the fat starts to melt, turn the heat up to medium high and cook until golden (4 to 5 minutes). Scoop out bacon with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl. Leave leftover fat in the pan.
Golden panko - Still on medium high, add the Panko topping ingredients. Stir until golden, around 2 minutes, then scrape into a bowl.

Notes

1. Sweet potato - If your potatoes are larger or smaller, that's fine. There's enough topping / filling for around 1.2kg / 2.4lb sweet potato.
2. Nuts - sub almonds, walnuts, macadamia or other of choice.
3. Cheese alternatives - sub cheddar, tasty, gruyere, Monterey jack, gruyere, swiss cheese. If using mozzarella, I’d mix in 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese for a flavour / salt boost.
4. Sage works so well with the flavours in this dish (fresh, not dried). Rosemary is my back up herb here. Fallback - just use parsley for the green specks in the topping!
5. To leave out bacon - it will still be great without because there's so many other flavours going on here. If you really want to compensate, then add 1/4 cup parmesan into the filling and 2 tbsp into the Panko mixture. It will take the place of the flavour and salt punch you get from bacon!
6. Assemble ahead - The potatoes can be cooked and stuffed, then baked the next day. Leftovers will keep for 4 days though there's nothing like freshly baked!