Twice-Baked Potatoes with Lobster

I love twice-baked potatoes, so when I found this recipe with lobster, I knew it was a must-try. I made these for my family on Easter Sunday. The potatoes were delicious as anticipated, and I look forward to making them again. I included some cooking notes at the bottom that shave some time off.

Ingredients...

• 4 large baking potatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups cooked lobster (or crab) meat
• 1 cup dry white vermouth 
• 1/2 cup Creme Fraiche (or sour cream)
• 1/2 cup grated Jarlsberg cheese, plus additional cheese for topping the potatoes
• 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

Directions...

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Scrub and dry the potatoes. Cut a small, deep slit in the top of each potato. Set the potatoes on the center rack of the oven and bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour (Took atleast 1 hr 15 min for me).
3. Let the potatoes cool slightly, cut off and discard the tops, and scrape the potato pulp into a bowl. Do not scrape so deeply that you tear the potato skin. Salt and pepper the potato shells; reserve. Mash the potato pulp; reserve.
4. Melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat and saute the chopped onions, covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes*. Add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes. Stir in the lobster or crab. Season with salt and pepper, add the vermouth, then raise the heat to a boil. Stir frequently over high heat until all the liquid has boiled away**. Stir in the creme fraiche and remove from the heat.
5. Combine the lobster mixture with the reserved mashed potato pulp and the 1/2 cup Jarlsberg. Taste and correct the seasonings; add the heavy cream if the mixture seems too try.
6. Stuff the mixture into the reserved potato skins; mound the filling slightly. Sprinkle additional grated cheese on top and place on a baking sheet.
7. Bake again, at 400 degrees, until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

4 portions
Source: Silver Palate Cookbook

*I sauteed the onions for less time on a higher heat. 25 minutes seemed excessive to saute onion.
**Instead of waiting for the liquid to boil away, I drained the skillet after a few minutes so that the lobster meat would not get chewy.