Despite the fact that I love baked potatoes (let's face it, I love all potatoes. Even poorly prepared ones), I never think to do it at home. It might have something to do with the fact that it takes a really, really long time to bake them in the oven, and I happen to be a girl of little patience. Baking a potato is also too passive. I want to poke and prod things while I'm preparing them, not merely place them in the oven and let them be. But yesterday, I was about to go for a long walk and decided, before I went, to pop a potato in the oven. Then I wouldn't be around for the endless waiting.
This is another tasty thing to do with all of the wonderful green things we have available to us right now (here's part one), and it's a rather unusual take on the typical baked potato, loaded up with butter and sour cream (although I love them that way, too).
Baked Potatoes with Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Chive Flowers
1 large Russet potato per person
Kosher Salt
Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon per person
One chive blossom per person, flowers picked from stem
small bunch of chopped chives
small bunch of chopped scallions, white and green parts
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat your oven to 350 and scrub your potato. While it is still wet, roll it in a little Kosher salt - this helps draw the moisture from the potato and makes it really nice and fluffy. Place directly on rack in oven and go for a 4 mile walk. By the time you get back, the potato should be almost done - poke it with a fork or knife to find out. Otherwise, bake the potato for an hour or more, depending on size. Remove it from oven and dust the salt off, cut a slit in potato and press the ends, so that the insides puff up through the slit. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the chives, scallions and chive flowers. Marvel at its beauty, then consume. Don't forget to eat the skin! Potato skins are very good for you. By the way, potatoes contain more potassium and vitamin C than bananas. Just thought you'd like to know. No offense, bananas, you know I love you, too. Just not like potatoes.
