Day 6 is here, and we’ve got a whole load of options to fill your jacket potatoes! Great for a hot lunch or have a couple for dinner.
Use medium or large potatoes. Always make a cut in the skin with a knife before baking, or it may explode in the oven or microwave! You will only get crisp jackets if you cook the potato in the oven. Timing depends on the size of the potato.
Oven baked — Preheat the oven to 200°C fan oven/220°C/Gas 7. Rub the skin with a little olive oil and bake for 50–60 minutes.
or
Microwave and oven — Preheat the oven to 200°C fan oven/220°C/Gas 7. Cook in the microwave on full power for 5 minutes and then in the oven for 30 minutes.
or
Microwave — 7–10 minutes on full power.
Fillings
When the potato is cooked, cut it open and add a little butter to moisten, then add any of the following suggestions:
- The simplest—Baked beans and/or grated cheese.
- Tuna Sweetcorn and Mayo—Mix together 1/2 x 185g tin of tuna with 1 tablespoon of mayo and 1/2 x 340g tin sweetcorn, season well. (If you double these quantities you have some sandwich filling for the next day.)
- Cottage cheese—1/2 x 250g tub of cottage cheese, mixed with 3 chopped spring onions and 12 defrosted cooked shrimps. You could add a chopped tomato if you wish. (Use the rest of the tub of cottage cheese in sandwiches.)
- Cooked chicken and mayonnaise—If you have roasted a chicken, chop up a portion of it and add 1 tablespoon of mayo + 2 teaspoon mustard.
- Smoked mackerel—You can buy this quite cheaply. It is already cooked and in sealed bags. Take the skin off one piece and gently break up the fish, add 2 chopped spring onions and 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise or crème fraîche. (Keep the rest of the fish covered in cling film to use another day.
- Crispy bacon and hard-boiled eggs—Hard boil 2 eggs, take off the shells and chop them up. Grill 2 rashers of streaky bacon and chop them up also. Mix together. You can add 1 tablespoon mayo and/or 1/2 x 340g tin sweetcorn if you wish
