Jacket Potato with Bacon, Mushroom, and Peppercorn Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized russet or other baking potatoes, well scrubbed
• 12 ounces bacon, chopped
• 8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 tablespoon green peppercorns, drenched in cold water
• 1 cup cream
• Salt and pepper
• Butter, for topping

Directions

Potato: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prick potatoes with a fork and bake until soft, about 1 hour.

Sauce: Saute bacon, add button mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Pour brandy first into a measuring cup (for safety) and then into the pan and carefully ignite with a long match. After the alcohol burns off and the flame has died, stir in the peppercorns. Stir in the cream and heat through, without boiling. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Cut open baked potatoes. Top each with a spoonful of butter, then cover generously with sauce.