Dad Food : For the Meat-and-Potatoes Man

A friend, whose father will eat only simple food, was having a difficult time planning the menu for Father’s Day. Her dad had hinted that a sirloin steak and a baked potato were all he wanted.

I suggested that she could please her father and still have fun cooking dinner. The steaks could be marinated in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, then rubbed with cracked pepper and dried thyme before being grilled. The baked potatoes could be mashed with Roquefort cheese and sauteed onions. She could add a saute of green beans and shiitake mushrooms and end the meal with strawberry and rhubarb pie.

The potatoes can be prepared several hours ahead and need only to be reheated quickly in the oven before serving.

BAKED POTATOES WITH ROQUEFORT AND SAUTEED ONIONS

6 (8-ounce) baking potatoes, scrubbed

6 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 cups thinly sliced onions

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Place potatoes on baking sheet and bake in center of oven at 400 degrees until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, halve potatoes lengthwise. Scoop pulp from shells and reserve 8 shells.

Combine cooked potatoes in bowl of electric mixer along with 4 ounces crumbled Roquefort and 2 tablespoons butter. Mix on slow speed until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Use salt sparingly because cheese is salty but add generous amount pepper.) Divide mixture evenly among 8 shells. Set aside.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, add onions and saute, stirring often, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Garnish potatoes with sauteed onions and sprinkle remaining crumbled Roquefort over top. Sprinkle potatoes with parsley and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Note: Potatoes can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Place in baking pan, cover and refrigerate until needed. To reheat, bake at 400 degrees until potatoes are hot and cheese has melted on top, about 20 minutes.