Ingredients

　　

Step 1

There is something about a baked potato that is so comforting that many of us eating alone enjoy making a meal of it. You can enhance it with whatever seems appealing—a generous dollop or two of sour cream or yogurt or butter, some chopped scallions, a few tasty mushrooms (or use mushroom duxelles, page 138), and/or a bit of leftover green vegetable. Some like a melty cheese or a strong accent, such as anchovy and olives, and if you happen to have some leftover ratatouille or fried eggplant and peppers, they marry well with the mealy roasted Idaho. Also, bacon, ham, or a bit of cracklings will add a meat accent, if you want that.

　　

Step 2

Since a large potato takes about an hour to bake in the oven, a good way of hurrying it along is to microwave it on high for 7 minutes, then put it into a 400° oven to crisp for about 10 minutes. When it is tender—pierce with the point of a knife to make sure—slit the top open, squeeze the hot potato to open it up, and spoon as much stuffing as you like into it. The filling should be at room temperature.

　　The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones. Copyright © 2009 by Judith Jones. Published by Knopf. All Rights Reserved.Judith Jones is senior editor and vice president at Alfred A. Knopf. She is the author of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food and the coauthor with Evan Jones (her late husband) of three books: The Book of Bread; Knead It, Punch It, Bake It!; and The Book of New New England Cookery. She also collaborated with Angus Cameron on The L. L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook, and has contributed to Vogue, Saveur, and Gourmet magazines. In 2006, she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in New York City and Vermont.