Jacket Potatoes

Recipe: Jacket Potatoes

 

Memories

When did I  have my first jacket potato? In UK at Debenhams – the Harrow Branch, in their cafeteria. My sister in law worked there and I met up with her during her lunch break. She suggested I try out the jacket potato. I was truly amazed at how the humble baked potato was transformed into a wholesome meal with so many toppings. Haven’t looked back since then.  A friend of mine once organized a jacket potato party. We all just had that with a huge choice of toppings. What a fun idea. My kids loved jacket potatoes and it was a weekly meal. Every week the toppings would change.

 

 

Sharing Jacket Potato Recipe With The Group Sunday Funday

August 19th is Potato Day! Our host for this Sunday suggested the following “Let’s share any recipes that feature potatoes. Roasted, mashed, sliced, fried, whatever!”  Today I am sharing Jacket Potato with pizza topping. Yes, you heard right, pizza topping without the bread base. Instead we’re going to enjoy it with baked potato. Trust me it makes a delightful and filling meal. redoing an old post with topping and better photos. First posted on 15/08/2012

 

Potatoes are everyone’s favourite. Baked, boiled, fried or steamed they can be an excellent accompaniment to a dish or as a main dish. Used in stews, curries, soups, salads, breads etc, the humble potato is  truly a versatile vegetable.

 

Check Out Some Potato Recipes 

 

How To Bake The Potatoes

About 10-15 years ago the most common way to bake potatoes was to wrap them up in a foil. Nowadays it is a different story. The recommended way is to bake the potatoes without any foil. With the foil method the potatoes were more steamed rather than baked. But, baking made the skin to thick and chewy for us. My family would scoop out the inner soft fluffy part and leave the skin. Then I thought of baking the potatoes in foil for about 40 minutes and the without the foil for the rest 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. This resulted in a crisp almost crackly skin which everyone happily ate.

 

Oil |Grease The Potatoes

I prefer brushing the potatoes with a nice layer of olive oil. This helps to crisp up the skin. Alternately can brush butter all over the potatoes before baking.

 

Sprinkle Salt

Add a generous pinch of salt. Some of it will stick to the skin on baking them.

 

Split The Baked Potatoes Immediately

 

As soon as the potatoes are out of the oven, make a long slit on top lenghtwise. Fluff up the inside using a fork. If you allow the potato to cool or sit, then the inner part becomes all gluey and sticky.

 

Topping Ideas

 

Masala Baked Beans And Cheese

Stir fry some chopped onion, garlic, ginger and green chillis. Add the baked beans. Add turmeric, cumin, coriander powders. Add red chilli powder if you want to. Add the masala baked beans on the slightly mashed baked potatoes. Add grated or shredded cheddar cheese.

 

Feta, Mushroom & Spinach Topping

Heat about 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute some chopped garlic, add mushrooms and cook till they become a bit brown. Add chopped spinach. Mix till the spinach wilts. Add white sauce. Add  mushroom spinach mixture and top with crumbled feta or cheddar cheese.

 

TexMex Topping

Add Chile of your choice. Sometimes I add a mixture of black beans, corn and mushrooms sautéed together.Top with some sour cream, salsa, guacamole and cheese.

 

Meat | Seafood

Add leftover chicken and a salad of your choice. Can add leftover chicken curry. Add crispy bacon and eggs, sliced sausages, minced meat, garlic prawns, etc.

 

Leftover Curry

We love to add leftover chickpea curry, lentil curry, , paneer makhani or pav bhaji. Add some cheese or paneer on top.

 

 

Mediterranean Topping

Cooked quinoa, couscous, roasted vegetables, feta. falafel, tahini, hummus, pesto, tzatziki, etc

 

Check Out Recipes With Potatoes By Members Of  Sunday Funday 

 

• Appe Batata Vada by Sneha’s Recipe
• Baked Herby Potato Wedges by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Baked Potato Soup by Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking
• Budget-Friendly Potato Soup with Fresh Dill by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Campfire Potatoes by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Copycat Baked Arby’s Curly Fries by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes Without Butter or Cream – Yes! by Culinary Cam
• Jacket Potatoes by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Marmite Roast New Potatoes with Sausage and Butter Beans by Food Lust People Love
• Three-Color Potato Salad with Vegetables by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

• Warm Potato Salad by A Messy Kitchen

 

Ingredients Required For Jacket Potatoes

Potatoes

It is important to choose the right type of potatoes for baking. In the UK the potatoes that are starchy, floury are Maris Piper or King Edward. In Kenya I prefer to use Meru Potatoes. In the US and Canada the best are the Russet potatoes. Choose fairly large potatoes that clean, without any bruises and not old. Scrub the potatoes well with a clean brush to remove any soil or dirt. I sometimes allow the potatoes to soak in cold water. Becomes easier to scrub off the dirt.

Butter

We need some butter to add to the baked potatoes and also to cook the mushrooms. I have used salted butter.

Olive Oil

To rub on the potato skin before baking. Also need some to cook the mushrooms.

Salt

To sprinkle on the potatoes before baking. Some to add to the baked potatoes and the mushroom.

Pepper

To add some to the baked potatoes. Best to use freshly cracked black peppercorns.

Mushrooms

I took about 200g mushrooms. Clean them by giving them a quick wash or wiping with a damp towel. Slice the mushrooms.

Garlic

Peel and finely chop or mince 2-3 cloves of garlic.

Onion

Need some finely chopped onion as a topping. About 2-4 tbsp is enough.

Marinara Sauce

I have used ready made Marinara Sauce. Feel free to use homemade or any other type of pasta sauce. Need some as the topping and to serve extra on the side.

Sweet Corn

Fresh, frozen or canned. Cook the fresh corn before adding as a topping.

Olives

Any of your choice. Slice them.

Cheese

I like to use a mixture of mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan. Use any grated cheese of your choice.

Chilli Flakes

Optional. Add on top to add a bit of heat. 

Other Ingredients

Add toppings of your choice. Pepperoni, sliced cooked sausages, cooked meat, chicken, chile, leftover curry, baked beans, mushroom spinach feta. TexMex topping, Mediterranean style, etc. The options are endless.

 

 

 

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A Small Request

If you do try this recipe then please either

• add a comment below,
• send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
•  tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
• or comment on Pinterest @mayuri62