-Serves 1 - Ready in 25 minutes -
(increase the microwave cooking time by 5 minutes for each added potato)
Gather together...
1 large 'Maris Piper' or 'King Edward' potato, about the size of two adult fists.
1 tbsp rapeseed oil.
1 pinch salt.
Filling of choice - quantities given are for one large potato...
Side salad (e.g. baby spinach leaves / rocket leaves and cherry tomatoes).
1. Butter and ground black pepper or smoked paprika requires; 1 tsp butter, sprinkling of ground black pepper or smoked paprika.
2. Butter, baked beans and grated cheese requires; 1 tsp butter, ½ tin of baked beans microwaved in a bowl.
3. Cottage cheese requires; ½ tub of cottage cheese.
4. Tinned corned beef and grated cheese requires; 1 tsp butter,½ tin corned beef, 1 pinch of ground black pepper and 1 handful of finely grated cheese.
5. Tuna and cheese requires; ½ tin tuna, 1 spring onion and 1 handful of finely grated cheese.
6. Pesto and cheese requires; 1 tbsp pesto, 1 handful of finely grated cheese and 1 handful of pinenuts (optional).
Get cooking...
1. Rinse and scrub the large potato , and carefully prick holes in it several times with a fork, so the steam can escape. Place it on a microwaveable plate.
2. Cook on full power in the microwave for 10 minutes. If cooking more than one potato at a time, add 5 minutes for each extra potato.
3. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200 C fan or 220 C or gas 7.
4. Carefully remove the hot potato from the microwave, cover it in 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and put it directly on the oven-shelf in the hot oven for 10 minutes to crisp up. Then remove from the oven.
5(a). Either just top the potato with butter and some ground black pepper or smoked paprika, or with butter, microwaved baked beans and top with a handful of finely grated cheese, or with ½ tub cottage cheese.
or
5(b). Cut potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the fluffy potato into a bowl (but leave some potato flesh intact or else the skins will be too thin and fragile to re-stuff) and mix with your filling, in the bowl....
½ small tin corned beef and top with a handful of finely grated cheese.
or
½ tin tuna, 1 finely chopped spring onion mixed with a handful of finely grated cheese.
or
1 tbsp pesto, mixed with a handful of finely grated cheese, plus a handful of pine nuts on top (optional).
6. Re-stuff the potato skins with this potato-mix filling. Sprinkle with black pepper and bake in the oven, for a further 10 minutes.
7. Serve with a side salad.