Sunday Feast № 34 | Baked Potato

Baked potato is so pedestrian, and so simply comforting for that very reason. Helen Russell in her book "The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country" wrote how in the rural Jutland, where she ended up living for a year ... or ... I digress, feasts seemed to include something with potatoes more often than not. That something many a time was a pork product of one kind or another, but that is beside my rambling point. The Russets at my local seemed appealing all of the sudden, especially so since I prefer to either roast or fry or boil potatoes (yes, in that order, with the latter the only choice for young potatoes) rather than bake them, and Russets are perfect for baking; hence, there was something new to do at home. For me. Armed with Ali's recipe for the perfect baked potato at Gimme Some Oven and simply dressing the finished product with butter, sea salt, ground pepper, and dill, I was set to have my Jutland inspired meal. However, rather than porky anything, I opted for a different nod to the Scandinavian - smoked salmon. The meaty and porky sides will come out later in the year when the temperatures drop and need to feast rises.

1 medium-to-large Russet potato, scrubbed clean of any dirt olive oil Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Using a dinner fork, poke the potato multiple times on all sides. Place the potato on the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven. Using a pastry brush, brush the outside of the potato with olive oil until it is completely coated on all sides. Sprinkle the potato generously with Kosher salt, and place it back on the roasting pan with aluminum foil upside down so that it can cook evenly on both sides. Return to oven and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Check if done by squeezing the potato or with a fork. If the insides are soft and give under pressure, remove the potato from the oven. Otherwise, continue cooking in 5-min increments until the potato is done. In my case it took 30 min but all that also depends on the size and shape of your potato. Use a small paring knife to cut down the middle of the potato, and then give it a squeeze to open. Serve immediately, with desired toppings.