CONTEST MAIN DISH: Corned Beef Baked in Potatoes

CORNED BEEF BAKED IN POTATOES
An original recipe by BumbleBeeBoogie

6 medium baking potatoes
cooking oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups ground COOKED corned beef
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of chopped black olives (from a small can), optional
1/4 cup chopped flat Italian parsley
Tabasco sauce, a dash
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, (optional)

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes; dry thoroughly. Poke the skin a few time with a fork. Rub the skins with the cooking oil. Bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil in a skillet, add the onions and saute until they are soft and transparent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes (do not burn the garlic or it will become bitter.)

Cut the potatoes in half, lengthwise and scoop out the insides from each potato shell. Mash lightly with a fork. Reserve the potato shells.

Cut the cooked corned beef into small chunks and place them in a food processor bowl and pulse a few times until ground chunky, but not pureed. Reserve.

In a large bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes with the chopped corned beef and the remaining ingredients and spoon lightly into the potato shells. Return to the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Top each stuffed potato with sprinklings of the cheese and parsley.

Serves 6.