Pimento Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes

Special equipment: Grill, Microwave

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 1 hour (using microwave) 1 hour 45 minutes (using oven)

• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 4 russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup finely sliced chives, for garnish
•  
• Type of fire: two-zone indirect
• Grill heat: medium-high

Procedures

1. Roast pepper over gas stove, grill, or broiler until skin is completely charred. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the charred outer skin, cut in half and remove the seeds and core. Finely chop pepper.
   
2. To bake potatoes in oven or grill: Preheat oven or grill to 400°F. Place potatoes directly on cooking rack and bake until a paring knife can be inserted into middle of potato with little to no resistance, about 60 minutes. Transfer to plate and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
   
3. To bake potatoes in microwave: Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 9 to 12 minutes, rotating potatoes every 3 minutes, until a paring knife can be inserted into middle of potato with little to no resistance. Remove from microwave let and rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
   
4. Slice tops off potatoes lengthwise. Using a spoon or mellonballer, scoop out flesh into a medium bowl, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh remaining in potato.
   
5. Add all but 1/2 cup of cheese into bowl with potato flesh along with roasted pepper, sour cream, 3 tablespoons melted butter, paprika, and cayenne. Mash ingredients together until mixture is cohesive.
   
6. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Brush potatoes all over with remaining butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on cool side of grill, cover, and cook until potato skins start to brown around the edges and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes.
   
7. Remove potatoes from grill. Spoon filling into potatoes and top with remaining cheese. Place potatoes back on the cool side of the grill, cover, and cook until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill, let cool for 5 minutes, garnish with chives, then serve immediately.