One of the things my husband and I try to do every Lenten season is give up meat. Well, as much meat as possible. We love salads, of course, and a our fresh tomato and cheese sandwiches are particularly satisfying, but when we want something with a little more heft, we turn to potatoes. Baked potatoes.
My usual baked potato features a very generous amount of crispy bacon bits (the real stuff, mind you- none of that bottled capsicum “bacon”), but for Lent we do without. And you know what? The baked potatoes are still awesome. I’m convinced it’s the sour cream and chives- one of the best combinations in the world.
Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream & Chives
Serves 4, or 2 very hungry people
4 large russet potatoes
vegetable oil (Canola or Sunflower)
Kosher salt
For topping:
good butter, salted
sour cream
chives, chopped fine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash potatoes well with a brush or scrubber under cold running water. Wipe gently with an absorbent cloth until dry.
Poke around 8 deep holes on each potato, using a good sturdy fork. I use a regular table fork. Coat lightly with vegetable oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and put on a baking sheet. Bake around an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, or until the flesh beneath the skin feels soft.
Serve immediately with some good butter, sour cream and chives. If you like, wrap the potatoes in foil first- this helps prevent the skin from shriveling too much.