The Saintly Baked Potato

It may be cold and wintry outside and you may be bundled up in sweaters and blankets, but you can channel a little summer warmth and comfort with the best baked potato you've ever had. These are so easy, you can make them for lunch or dinner, keep them simple or dress them up. Potatoes are inexpensive and versatile. They are practically the saints of the food world.

Give your potatoes a good scrub and then slather them generously in olive oil. And by generous I mean swimming. Pierce the skin a few times with a fork and then sprinkle them with copious amounts of a solid quality salt like FalkSalt.

Side note: Chef Kent Rathbun incuded this salt in his CrateChef box 2 years ago and now we always keep it stocked in our own kitchens. I like the Natural Sea Salt variety but their Oak-Smoked, Garlic, Wild Mushroom and Rosemary flavors are all fantastic. This salt is handy to have on hand and makes a lovely presentation.

Washed and Scrubbed Russet Potatoes

FalkSalt on a Russet Baked Potato

Don’t tell your mother, but you can skip the aluminum foil on baked potatoes. This gives them a lovely crispy shell. Bake for 45-60 minutes in the oven on a baking sheet or until a fork can be inserted without resistance. The shells are a crispy salty delight and the inside potato breaks away with ease to be covered in your favorite toppings.

Cut them open and fill them with my simple favorite: butter, sour cream and cheese.

Finished Baked Russet Potato