Cheese-Stuffed Potatoes with Yogurt-Spice Paste and Sesame Seed Crust

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter melted ()
• 6 servings coarse kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves fresh chopped
• 2 teaspoons ginger fresh peeled chopped
• 2  garlic cloves coarsely chopped
• 1  green onion finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 2 teaspoons juice of lemon fresh
• 3 large russet potatoes unpeeled scrubbed (each 16 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1  serrano chile minced seeded
• 2.6 ounces sesame seed 
• 0.5 cup whole-milk yogurt plain greek-style
• 2 teaspoons paprika sweet hot
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• sieve
• baking pan
• grill
• aluminum foil
• cheesecloth

Directions

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F.
2. Placepotatoes directly on oven rack and bake untiltender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour15 minutes.
3. Transfer to platter and let standuntil cool enough to handle. DO AHEAD: Canbe made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
4. Cut potatoes horizontally in half. Usingspoon, scoop out pulp, leaving 1/3-inch-thickshell.
5. Transfer potato pulp to medium bowland mash; mix in cheese, melted butter,cilantro, green onion, chile, and sesameseeds. Season potato mixture generouslywith salt and pepper; divide among potatoshells.DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hoursahead. Cover and chill.
6. Combine first6 ingredients in processor. Using on/offturns, blend until mixture is finely chopped.
7. Add yogurt, oil, and lemon juice and processuntil smooth puree forms.
8. Transfer to smallbowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead.Cover and refrigerate.
9. Remove top rack from grill.
10. Placedisposable aluminum baking pan in centerof bottom rack (if using 2-burner gas grill,place pan on 1 side of burner).
11. Add enoughwater to pan to reach depth of 1 inch.
12. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Ifusing charcoal grill, light briquettes inchimney and pour half onto rack on eachside of disposable pan. If using 3-burner gasgrill, light burners on left and right, leavingcenter burner off. If using 2-burner gas grill,light burner on side opposite disposable pan.Return top rack to grill.
13. Place sheet of foilon grill rack above unlit burner; brush withvegetable oil.
14. Place sesame seeds on small plate.
15. Placehalf of yogurt-spice paste in shallow bowland reserve.
16. Spread remaining yogurt-spicepaste over top of potato filling in each potatohalf.
17. Sprinkle with half of sesame seeds. Dipbottom of each potato half into reservedspice paste, then dip into remaining sesameseeds.
18. Place potatoes atop foil on grill rackabove disposable pan. Cover barbecueand grill until potatoes are heated throughand bubbling in center, 25 to 30 minutes.
19. Transfer potatoes to platter and serve.
20. * A thick yogurt; sold at some supermarketsand at specialty foods stores (such as Trader
21. Joe's and Whole Foods markets) and Greekmarkets. If unavailable, place regular yogurtin cheesecloth-lined strainer set over largebowl. Cover and chill overnight to drain.