Bacon Barbecued Taters

[Cet article est également disponible en français]

Yes, it is winter. Yes, it is cold outside. And yes, Cinnilla and I were feeling rather despondent after a somewhat bleary Monday. So I invited her over for dinner... if she could contribute her own steak (I had a slab of rib-eye that had been taken out of the freezer and therefore commanded to be eaten tonight, but it was not big enough to share). I'd barbecue the rest and supply some wine. You know, being French and all that...

And suddenly, as I was contemplating making dinner, inspiration struck. Of course, it came from bacon, that ingredient that always saves the day. When I first experimented with barbecuing, I developed a way of making baked barbecued potatoes by stuffing onion pieces in them and dousing them with olive oil. Why not replace the onions with... bacon?

Here's the result. First, brush the potatoes under cold water and slice them lengthwise, without cutting across entirely. I also had to thaw some bacon from the freezer, as I did not have any at the ready in the fridge (shocking, I know!).

Then put the potatoes on a sheet of tinfoil and insert slices of bacon into the slits. Close the potato.

Wrap bacon around it and douse with a generous dose of... pure maple syrup (the French Canadian touch here). Bake on the top grille of the barbecue over medium heat for roughly 40-45 minutes (depending on size). This can also be done in the oven like any other baked potato if you don't happen to have a barbecue handy.

Carefully unwrap (the carmelised syrup makes the foil stick to the potato). Yum!