Ingredients:
6
small to medium sized russet baking potatoes (total 3 pounds)
Olive
oil
Canola
oil or grapeseed oil
Kosher
salt
Freshly
ground pepper
6
strips of bacon
4
ounces grated cheddar cheese
1/2
cup sour cream
2
green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions
Directions:
Scrub the potatoes clean then bake
the potatoes using your favorite method, either oven or microwave. If using an
oven, rub with olive oil and bake in a 400°F oven for about an hour until the
potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed. If using a
microwave, rub all over with olive oil and cook on the high setting for about 5
minutes per potato. I have found that baking the potatoes in a conventional
oven yields potatoes that are easier to work with (cut and scoop out), the
potato seems to adhere to the skins a little better, but there is hardly a
discernible difference in the final product.
While the potatoes are cooking, cook
the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or
until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.
Remove the potatoes from the oven
and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to
carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another
use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin.
Increase the heat of the oven to
450°F. Brush or rub grapeseed oil or canola oil (or another high smoke point
oil) all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a
baking rack in a roasting pan (don't use a cookie sheet, it will warp, use a
roasting pan or broiler pan that can take the heat). Cook for 10 minutes on one
side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from
oven and let cool enough to handle.
Arrange the potato skins skin-side
down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with freshly ground
black pepper, cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for
an additional 2 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven. Use
tongs to place skins on a serving plate. Add a dollop of sour cream to each
skin, sprinkle with green onions.
