We’ll never know what possessed the first Peruvian housewife to yank a potato plant from the ground, examine the dirt-cloddish tubers and exclaim, "Boil the water, Juan, we’re having these puppies for supper."

Much later, when first given the chance, Europeans nearly failed to grasp her vision. If it hadn’t been for a determined botanist named Antoine-Auguste Parmentiere and his efforts to dispel French doubts in 1771, we might still be using the potato for a houseplant. And then where would we be?

Well, for starters we’d be without Potatoes Anna, Potatoes Lyonnaise or Duchess Potatoes (fancy mashed potatoes chefs are fond of squirting out of pastry bags for garnishing).

Worse yet, can you imagine picnics without a big bowl of Mom’s potato salad? Fish without chips? Room service without hash browns?

Possibilities for this humble tuber are as rich as the imagination.

For instance, once it dawned on cooks that a baked potato didn’t have to be a culinary cul-de-sac, the Twice-Baked Potato Cult was born.

Twice-baked potatoes make wonderful party fare, because they’re so easy to do ahead of time. The only attention they need during your event is a last-minute reheating.

When designing a stuffed spud recipe, be creative. All sorts of fresh vegetables, meats and cheeses work. Some people like to saute the ingredients in a little olive oil or butter before mixing with the spud. Some folks love lots of sour cream. Others prefer yogurt. It’s between you and your diet.

The recipe here has an American Southwest flavor to it — something that would have really tickled that Peruvian housewife.

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stuffed spuds

4baking potatoes (make sure you use the russet variety)

1/2cup chopped celery

3tablespoons butter

1cup grated Cheddar cheese

1/2cup chopped green onion

3tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno peppers

2/3cup sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Salsa or picante sauce

Bake the potatoes in a 375 degree oven until done, about 45 minutes, depending on their size. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve each one lengthwise and scoop out all but 1/4 inch of the filling. In a large bowl, mash the potato well.

In a small skillet, saute the celery in the butter or olive oil until softened, then add to the bowl of potato meat, along with the cheese, onion, pickled jalapeno peppers, and 1/3 cup of the sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mound the filling back into the potato jackets. Potatoes can be prepared to this point and refrigerated several hours or overnight before proceeding.

Twenty minutes before serving, place the potatoes in a 400 degree oven and bake until hot, 15 to 20 minutes. To serve, place a generous dollop of sour cream on top of each potato and then drizzle on some salsa or picante sauce.

Serves 4 to 8.

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.