Shop Emeril Lagasse | Emeril Lagasse's Recipes | HSN Cookbook | Print Friendly Version

5 large Idaho baking potatoes, about 1 pound each
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ¾ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon ground white pepper
4 ounces bacon, chopped
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped chives

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Rub the potatoes with the oil and season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until fork tender, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle. (The potatoes can be cooked 1 day in advance and kept wrapped in the refrigerator up to this point.)
3. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat is rendered, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
4. Peel one potato completely, discard the skin, and place the pulp in a large bowl. Cut the top quarter from each of the remaining 4 potatoes and using a spoon, scoop the pulp from the potatoes into the bowl, leaving a ¼-inch layer of pulp around the skin. Return the potato shells to the baking sheet.
5. Using a hand held masher, mash the potato pulp until smooth.
6. Add 1 cup of the cheese, the sour cream, butter, cooked bacon, chives, and the remaining 1 ¼ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon pepper and mash until smooth.
7. Spoon the potato mixture back into the potato shells, top with the remaining cheese, and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
8. Serve hot.