Here’s a hearty flavoursome meal or side to celebrate leftovers and homemade relish: Stuffed Baked Potatoes
I literally lived off baked potatoes when I was flatting. I would scrounge ‘odds and sods’ from the fridge: a slice or two of capsicum, leftover baked beans, a curled up spring onion….you get the picture. Regardless of what goes into the stuffing, the result is delicious.
Potatoes, thankfully, are available year-round and economic for those on a budget. Don’t forget, potatoes have good qualities.
- Fibre-rich: Leave potato skins on to provide a good source of fibre.
- Virtually fat-free: Add toppings with low or no fat to keep them this way.
- Carbohydrates for sustained energy: The big advantage of getting carbohydrates from potatoes rather than pasta, rice or bread, is that potatoes also contain many other vital nutrients.
- Antioxidants for protection: Potatoes contain vitamin C and phenolic compounds, strong antioxidants which offer protection against some diseases.
- Rich in minerals: Potatoes contain a balanced source of minerals for a healthy diet, particularly potassium.
- Bursting with vitamin C: A medium sized potato can supply nearly half the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. source Potatoes.co.nz
I’ve used broccoli for this recipe, but any vegetables will work well including: blanched spinach, grated carrot, sauteed mushroom, drained peas etc. Bacon is an option, but other proteins work well too such as tuna and chickpeas. The world is your oyster here, as they say. Virtually ANY left-overs can work a dream for stuffed and baked potatoes.
Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 70 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 baking potatoes, large
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup bacon pieces (optional)
- 25g butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp homemade relish
- pinch of salt & pepper
- 1/2 cup cheese, grated
- spring onions, to serve
- parsley, to serve
- sour cream, to serve
Method:
- Preheat oven to 175°C.
- Wash and scrub skin of potatoes. Pat dry and wrap individually in tin foil. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, blanch broccoli florets in a pot of salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain. Set aside.
- Pan fry bacon pieces until crispy. Set aside.
- In the same pan, melt butter and saute shallot and garlic for several minutes, until soft. Set aside.
- Carefully remove potatoes from the oven and unwrap (they will be hot). Scoop out a generous cavity from the centre, reserving cooked potato and leaving baked potato skins in tact.
- Mash cooked potato, then add cooked shallot, garlic, broccoli and bacon. Add relish and combine well. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon mashed potato into the baked potato skins. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Place potatoes into an oven dish and bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden.
- Remove, serve hot. Garnish with relish, spring onions, sour cream and parsley.
Enjoy!
