Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Sauce

I’m back with the second installment of Rhubarb & Cod’s Steakhouse Series and this time I brought along a baked potato… Bet you saw that coming. The baked potato with sour cream and chives is a classic form of comfort food and it enjoys a moderate amount of popularity outside the steakhouse oeuvre. I mean, even Wendy’s sells them. But when they’re placed alongside a prime cut of dry-aged beef, the baked potato tends to have a lot more going on. Pancetta, caramelized veggies, sometimes even truffles find a place on a steakhouse bake potato. So, to suit the steakhouse vibe, I adorned my baked potato with roast Brussels sprouts, a velvety goat cheese sauce, and shards of prosciutto fried crispy.

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Potatoes - Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

I suppose the origins of the supped up baked potato is not difficult to suss out. These titan taters were introduced as a way to lure women into the steakhouse. Women, who insanely wanted a little veg with their side of a cow. But the steakhouse was not, of course, the first place where potato was served alongside meat. It was a common practice in numerous eateries. In fact, it was common practice in chophouses, one of the steakhouse’s ancestors. But prior to the refined spud, potatoes were mostly seen as a means for soaking up booze and, in rural areas, a form of animal feed. I am not making this up.

Brussels Sprouts - Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

In the mid-19th century in the US, potatoes were largely considered animal feed. In fact, the Farmer’s Manual suggested that readers grow their potatoes “near the hog pens as a convenience towards feeding the hogs.” But American horticulturist Luther Burbank changed all that when he introduced his Russet Burbank potato to the country. This very special potato came about when Burbank was attempting to create a disease-resistant strain of the Irish potato. And yes, that is the potato you’re thinking of, the crop that failed and led to Ireland’s disastrous potato famine.

Brussels Sprouts - Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

The popularity of the Russet Burbank grew quickly, thanks in no small part to its adaptability. It was and is the perfect french fry potato. And more importantly, as far as this post is concerned, it baked up beautifully. Given the natural and already popular pairing of meat and potatoes, the Russet Burbank quickly found a place in New York City, home of one of America’s largest and earliest meatpacking districts. New York’s preoccupation with beef led the city to become the steakhouse capital of the United States.

Roast Brussels Sprouts - Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce
Roast Brussels Sprouts - Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

Now, it is true that I love me a good, bloody steak. But even though I love steak with all my steak-loving heart, I do find steakhouse sides often steal the show. As with most pieces of edible Americana, these sides are just so damn extra. But you might be wondering why that is. I mean, why would a steak-focused restaurant sweat the toppings on a baked potato. Well, the simple answer is, to justify the high price of their steak.

Goat Cheese Cream Sauce - Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

While it is true that there are high-end steakhouses and low-end steakhouses, the steakhouse as a subset tends to be pricey. At the best of times, a steakhouse is where you go to treat someone you love to high heaven, and at worst, it’s where you go to flash your cash like the asshole you’d have to be to do that sort of thing. This reputation was not an accident in the beginning nor is it today. The steakhouse sides have to be lavish and scene-stealing to make sure you leave at least $300 lighter but still happy. So yeah, throw some caviar on a potato that costs next to nothing and not a human will raise an eyebrow when the check comes.

Crisp Prosciutto - Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

But we are not at a steakhouse and the only thing I want to borrow from such an establishment is the flavors. So, the most expensive thing on this baked potato is the prosciutto on top and the goat cheese in the sauce and neither will break the bank. Sure, these potatoes require a little sweat equity but even that is minimal.

Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

Baking a potato isn’t remotely difficult. It’s a simple matter of scrubbing the outside of the potato, stabbing it a few times with a fork and coating it in olive oil and salt. And then you simply place it directly on an oven rack with a pan underneath to catch drips. From here it’s simply a matter of patience while your potato crisps up on the outside and softens on the inside.

Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

The Brussels sprouts are just as straight forward, although they take less time cook. And the Goat Cheese Cream Sauce? Don’t sweat it! If you can make a basic bechamel, you’ve got it in the bag. And while the crisp prosciutto may look fancy, it’s a snap to prepare. Just place it in a cool, dry skillet over medium heat and wait for it to crisp. You’ll know your prosciutto’s in a good place when the edges start to curl.

Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

So, there you have it. Simple stuff layered on top of each other to create something far from simple. Nothing hard, nothing difficult and yet these Baked Potatoes with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce taste beyond decadent.

Enjoy!

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Baked Potato with Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

This recipe will leave you with excess Brussels sprouts and cream sauce but you can serve them as an additional side. Alternatively, you can save the sauce and serve over pasta on a subsequent night.
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

Baked Potato with Roast Brussels Sprouts & Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

  • 2 Russet potatoes scrubbed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 batch Roast Brussels Sprouts see below
  • 1 batch Goat Cheese Cream Sauce see below
  • 2 slices prosciutto

Roast Brussels Sprouts

  • 200g (7 oz) Brussels sprouts halved
  • 1/8 cup fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt

Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard heaping
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 300g (10.5 oz) goat cheese
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 lemon juiced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    Take the potatoes and pierce them all over with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the potatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt.
  • Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 75 minutes. Place a baking sheet underneath the rack with the potatoes to catch any drips. While the potatoes are baking, prep the Brussels sprouts and cream sauce.

Roast Brussels Sprouts

  • Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl and pour the olive oil over top. Add the salt and toss to coat.
  • Pour the dressed Brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the Brussels sprouts so they are evenly spaced and facing cut-side-down. Sprinkle the thyme evenly over top.
  • When the potatoes are in their last 15 minutes of cook time, increase the oven’s temperature to 425° and place the Brussels sprouts in the oven. Once the potatoes are done, take them out of the oven and rotate the pan holding the Brussels sprouts. Roast the sprouts for another 10 minutes while the potatoes cool.

Goat Cheese Cream Sauce

  • Once you put the Brussels sprouts in the oven, turn your attention to the cream sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to create a roux. Add the wine and whisk until thick paste forms.
  • Slowly whisk in the milk, adding a 1/3 of a cup at a time. Only adding more milk when the previous amount is thoroughly combined. Stir in the Dijon, salt, and nutmeg.
  • Add the goat cheese and stir until the cheese melts and is fully integrated. Take the sauce off of the heat and stir in the yogurt and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.

To Assemble

  • Place the prosciutto in a dry, cool skillet and place the skillet over medium heat. Cook the prosciutto until the edges curl and the pink of the meat turns a rich terracotta color. Transfer the meat to a plate lined with paper towel. Let cool.
  • Using a knife, make an incision along the top of the potato. Gently open the potato like a book. Place 3-4 Brussels sprouts in the potato, or 6-8 halves. Pour the Goat Cheese Cream Sauce over top.
  • Tear the prosciutto into small shards and sprinkle them over top of the potatoes. Serve immediately with a good cut of meat and a glass of red. 

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