Baked Potatoes
Photo by Victor Protasio; Prop styling by Audrey Davis; Food styling by Torie Cox
At Alfred's Steakhouse in San Francisco, these potatoes are baked early in the day, then held in a warming oven. They're crisped to order over smoking-hot mesquite coals.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Preheat oven to 375° with rack in middle. In a large bowl, mix oils. Scrub and dry potatoes. Rub each thoroughly with oils and sprinkle generously all over with salt.
Step 2
2
Bake directly on oven rack until skins are very crisp and a fork slides in easily, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Step 3
3
While potatoes are still warm, score an X in top of each. Using a kitchen towel, squish potatoes from sides into center so that soft, steamy potato flesh bursts up through the X. Into each X, nestle 1 tbsp. butter, then top with 2 tbsp. sour cream. Sprinkle with chives.
4
Make ahead: Up to 2 hours at room temperature. Recrisp skins on a hot grill (or under broiler), turning often, 5 to 10 minutes.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 to 10 small (6- to 8-oz.) russet potatoes
Kosher salt
8 to 10 tbsp. butter, softened
1 to 1 1/4 cups sour cream
About 1/4 cup minced chives
Directions
Step 1
1
Preheat oven to 375° with rack in middle. In a large bowl, mix oils. Scrub and dry potatoes. Rub each thoroughly with oils and sprinkle generously all over with salt.
Step 2
2
Bake directly on oven rack until skins are very crisp and a fork slides in easily, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Step 3
3
While potatoes are still warm, score an X in top of each. Using a kitchen towel, squish potatoes from sides into center so that soft, steamy potato flesh bursts up through the X. Into each X, nestle 1 tbsp. butter, then top with 2 tbsp. sour cream. Sprinkle with chives.
4
Make ahead: Up to 2 hours at room temperature. Recrisp skins on a hot grill (or under broiler), turning often, 5 to 10 minutes.
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