1. Using a fork, prick the potatoes all over. Brush them with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. You can either bake or microwave the potatoes. To bake the potatoes, preheat your oven to 400 °F, place the potatoes on a foil-line baking sheet and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a paring knife can be easily inserted into the potato. To microwave the potatoes, place them in a microwave safe container and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave for approximately 20 minutes, turning the potatoes several times during the cooking process.
2. If you are baking potatoes in the oven, keep the oven on at 400 °F. If you have microwaved the potatoes, turn your oven on to 400 °F now.
3. Let the potatoes cool slightly. Using a sharp knife, cut a ¼-inch-thick slice out from the top of each potato. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh and place in a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, whip the potatoes with the milk, sour cream, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and the nutmeg. Beat until fluffy and smooth, then fold in the chives or Italian parsley. Set aside while preparing the filling.
4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the ground beef or ground turkey. Cook on medium heat, stirring now and then, until the meat is completely cooked. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked beef or turkey and place in a bowl. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel.
5. In the same pan, place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Heat on medium, then add the carrot, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat.
6. Add the cooked ground beef or lamb back into the pan with the vegetables. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and stock. Stir to combine. Heat on medium and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened (about 4 to 5 minutes).
7. Add the thyme or rosemary and the thawed peas.
8. Fill the hollowed-out potatoes with the filling, and transfer the mashed potatoes in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe mashed potatoes on top of each filled potato. I like to pipe one layer of mashed potatoes then go down the middle with additional piping of potatoes. Our family loves mashed potatoes, so I top them generously!
9. Place the potatoes in a pan so they fit snugly—or use a metal taco holder if you opted for that! You don’t want them to fall over during baking. Bake for 15 minutes to heat through. Turn on your oven’s broiler and broil for 1 to 2 minutes to crisp the top of the potatoes.

Notes

Cooking Time

Baking the potatoes: 1 hour in oven or 20 minutes in microwave

Baking the filled potatoes: 15 to 18 minutes