Red Mosquito

doug rr wrote:hey chris

E.H. Ruddock wrote:

doug rr wrote:hey chris

Hey

E.H. Ruddock wrote:

doug rr wrote:hey chris

Hey

Chris_H_2 wrote:ever hear of sante adairius rustic ales doug? i'm all over a wild ale by them called "West Ashley." i may have to trade away a large part of my collection to land a bottle.

So here goes. I first heard about the technique on "America's Test Kitchen," but salt-baked potatoes have been made for years.

You'll need fresh rosemary, kosher salt, baking potatoes, two heads of garlic, a stick of butter. Let's begin.

All these need are some kosher salt, garlic, rosemary, butter and a hot oven. (Hoberman Collection, Getty Images)
Select four large baking potatoes, wash and pat dry. Spread out three cups of kosher salt in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Rest the four potatoes on the salt. Slice the tops off two heads of garlic and put in the dish. Add two sprigs of fresh rosemary. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, crimp the edges and bake in a preheated, 450-degree oven for an hour and 10 minutes.

Then remove the baking dish from the oven. Discard the aluminum foil. Discard the rosemary springs — which should be crispy by now — and set aside the garlic heads to cool.

Do not move the potatoes. Brush the tops and sides with olive oil, then return the dish to the oven, uncovered, at 500 degrees for 15 minutes or until the skins are crispy.

While you're waiting, make the sauce. Finely chop a palmful of fresh rosemary — we measure them in hooftas around here — and throw it in a bowl with a stick of softened butter.

Take the garlic heads and squeeze the roast garlic into the butter and chopped rosemary.

Cream this all together with a fork.

When the potatoes are ready remove them from the oven, pinch the ends slightly, use a fork to open and spoon in the garlic, butter and rosemary sauce.

You won't need to add salt.

The potatoes won't be overly salty, but you don't need to add more. I don't know how it works, exactly, although food scientists have suggested that the salt technique draws moisture out of the potato and then back into the potato.