Stuffed Baked Potato Tower With Sloppy Joe Beef & Broccoli Artichoke Cheese Sauce

serves 6

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes, washed and rubbed with garlic infused olive oil and a generous amount of kosher salt

Sloppy Joe Mix:

1 lb ground 90% lean beef
1/3 C chopped white onion
1/3 C chopped green pepper
4 large cloves of garlic sliced thinly
¼ C tomato paste
1/3 C beef stock
1 t favorite steak seasoning
½ t kosher salt ½ t black pepper

Sauce:

1 ½ C whole milk
1 C grated white English cheddar cheese
1 T Dijon mustard
3 T salted butter
¼ C all-purpose flour
3 C broccoli florets steamed and then cooled and set aside
6 canned artichoke hearts drained of moisture and chopped

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place prepped potatoes in middle rack and cook for 1 hour 10 minutes. While the potatoes cook, steam the broccoli until barely soft, drain, add cold water to stop cooking and to keep it dark green, then set aside.
• In a preheated saucepan add the beef and brown slightly. Then add the pepper, onion, and garlic and stir until meat is done and onions are soft. Add the tomato paste and stir and then the beef stock and stir to incorporate paste. Add the steak seasoning. Mix and let simmer until broth has absorbed. Cover and keep warm. Do not let it dry out.
• In another saucepan melt the butter add the flour to make a roux. Mix with a whisk until combined and cook it for a minute on low to get rid of the raw flour flavor. Add the milk and whisk constantly until it begins to slightly thicken. Add the grated cheese, artichokes, and broccoli. Keep whisking on medium heat until it thickens and everything is smooth and hot. Takes about 3-5 minutes.
• To serve split the potato and ladle in the meat mixture. Then drizzle with the broccoli cheese mixture over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and another drizzle of the oil.