light-meals

Jacket Potato Night

November 30

I always find there’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a baked potato. My mum used to make them to serve alongside beef bourguignon or stroganoff as a steaming hot side, burst open to reveal a fluffy interior begging for salty Irish butter. I have found a love for them again recently and they are perfect comfort food with plenty of filling options to choose from. Serve them as they are or with some winter leaves with a shimmer of sharp mustardy dressing. Ideal winter eating.

Serves

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200˚C.
2. Prick the potatoes all over, rub with olive oil and salt and place on a baking sheet or directly on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. At this point the potatoes sliced open with a cross and are ready for your filling of choice.
3. For the smoked fish mix:
- In a bowl mix together the hot smoked salmon and creme fraiche, add half the chives and dill and season well with salt and pepper.
- Add a good knob of butter to each potato and spoon the smoked fish mix. Top with the trout roe and the remaining herbs.
4. For the bacon & blue cheese mix:
- Heat a generous knob of butter in a pan over a medium heat and slowly fry the onions for about 35 minutes or until golden and sticky. Season with salt. When caramelized, put aside for filling.
- Add a good knob of butter to each potato and top with the caramelised onions and crumbled blue cheese.
5. For the mushroom mix:
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium high heat.
- Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are tender.
- Add the creme fraiche and stir through until the mushrooms are completely coated. Season with salt and pepper and stir through the chopped parsley.
- Add a good knob of butter to each potato and top with the mushrooms and some parsley.

For the potatoes:

8 baking potatoes

Olive oil

Sea salt & ground black pepper

Option One: Smoked Fish

4oz hot smoked salmon

8oz creme fraiche

Handful finely chopped chives

Handful finely chopped dill

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1–2 oz. jar trout roe

Option Two: Bacon, Blue Cheese & Caramelised Red Onion

2 tbsp butter

2 red onions, sliced

6 slices streaky bacon, cooked

4oz blue cheese, crumbled

Option Three: Creamy Mushrooms

1 tbsp butter

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

8oz mushrooms, roughly torn

5fl oz creme fraiche

Small handful parsley, roughly chopped

For the potatoes:

8 baking potatoes

Olive oil

Sea salt & ground black pepper

Option One: Smoked Fish

150g hot smoked salmon

250g creme fraiche

Handful finely chopped chives

Handful finely chopped dill

100g unsalted butter, room temperature

1–2 oz. jar trout roe

Option Two: Bacon, Blue Cheese & Caramelised Red Onion

2 tbsp butter

2 red onions, sliced

6 slices streaky bacon, cooked

150g blue cheese, crumbled

Option Three: Creamy Mushrooms

1 tbsp butter

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

250g mushrooms, roughly torn

150ml creme fraiche

Small handful parsley, roughly chopped

If you liked this

I have long made my Italian style meatballs the same way and thought the recipe needed no tweaking. But, I stand corrected, ladies and gentlemen, behold my best American Italian baked meatballs! Baking the fried meatballs in the oven, coated with tomato sauce and oozy mozzarella cheese is simply spectacular. Make them tonight!

Irish Cheddar & Thyme Gougeres

December 21

An elegant and impressive warm canapé which is ideal finger food served with a cold glass of prosecco. The choux pastry can be baked up to 2-3 hours before serving and reheated for serving. Irish cheddar makes for delicious light cheese puffs or alternatively, comte or gruyere also works.

main-meals
→

Oven Baked Shellfish Tray

September 26

A simple method for cooking shellfish that can be adapted using whatever variation of the below ingredients you wish.

light-meals