Grilled Vegetable and Smoked Chicken Sausage Stuffed Baked Potatoes
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 medium-large russet potatoes (baking potatoes)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon, divided use
2 smoked chicken sausage links, cut into semi-circle slices (about ¼” – ½” thick)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced (about 2” long) strips
1 small yellow squash, thinly sliced (about 2” long) strips
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, juice slightly drained off
½ teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill)
½ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch, divided use
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus a pinch, divided use
2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Preparation:
-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees; place the russet potatoes into a small bowl, and drizzle the 1 teaspoon of olive oil over them, and rub onto the potatoes; using a fork, stab each of the potatoes a few times to allow the steam to escape while they bake; once oven is ready, place the potatoes directly onto the middle rack of the oven, and bake the potatoes for about 50-60 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a paring knife; while potatoes bake, prepare the grilled vegetable and chicken sausage filling.
-Place a large grill pan (or you can even use a large skillet/pan if desired) over medium-high heat and allow to become very hot; once hot, add the 2 tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced chicken sausage and red onions; using tongs, gently toss the sausage with the onions until they begin to brown, for about 2-3 minutes; next, add the sliced mushrooms, and allow those to lightly brown; next, add the garlic, and once the garlic has become aromatic (about 20 seconds), add in the red bell pepper, the zucchini and yellow squash strips, and toss all together in the pan allowing for the vegetables to grill/become lightly browned, about 2 minutes; next, add in the diced tomatoes with a little of their juice, the dried dill, and the ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper; toss with the tongs to incorporate, and cook for about 2 more minutes; turn off the heat, and set aside while you finish baking the potatoes and prepping them for serving.
-Once potatoes are baked, remove from oven and allow them to cool slightly so that they can be handled; once they’re cool enough to handle, make a length-wise slice into the middle of each baked potato to open it, and using a fork, gently fluff the inside of the potato, getting as close to the skin as possible, to loosen the “meat” of it up; next, add a pinch of salt an pepper to the inside of the fluffed potato, and even an extra drizzle of olive oil, if you wish.
-To finish the dish, scoop a generous, over-flowing portion of the grilled vegetable and smoked chicken sausage mixture right into each of the baked potatoes, stuffing the mixture into the baked potato well, and plate; garnish with a sprinkle of chopped green onion.
