my idea of heaven …. ; baked potatoes fluffed and puffed

I eat baked potatoes at least once a week –  like potatoes in all shape and and forms. The only vegetable I couldn’t live without. Back to this with being the “lonely diner” – so easy to do and can be filled with what ever is available. Always a great seller on the menus – didn’t really matter what filling we where offering, hot or cold.

The trick with getting a baked potato right is how it’s prepared. The restaurant in Malmö, where I worked as young – during the summers – the boiled their potatoes for 35 min before they put them in the oven … and they came out so fluffy. They served theirs with the Swedish caviar; Löjrom and that the way I prefer my “löjrom”.

In Sweden is it most common to bake the potatoes in foil – hate the stuff, because it’s so easy to get a small piece of the foil in the mouth and it can be a bill for an expensive dental visit. Happen me with a customer on one our vessels in Dover – after that I nearly forbidden all foil in cooking.

So what is my secret; wasn’t mine from the beginning – but it’s now.

Wivi – jacket potato tip. 

1. Scrub the potatoes and dry thoroughly, then pick them in several places with a fork and rub in olive oil; sprinkle lightly with sea salt – then bake at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for about 1,5 hrs. – until it feels soft when gently squeezed.

2. I wrap the potato in a clean kitchen towel and slam it down on to a board – or place the potato on the serving plate with a tea towel on top and hit it with my fist. Both slamming methods works really well because the force breaks up the potato into fluffy grains and usually causes a natural spilt.

In this recipe – slamming methods don’t works  – to impress I put my potatoes on high end – as on the picture. This is a dish that goes well with kids and a cold beer.

Fluffed, puffed cheese and honey ham jackets, serves 4
4 jacket potatoes, 250g each (9oz)
knob of butter
15ml (1tbsp) Dijon mustard
2 eggs, separated
100g (4oz) smoked mozzarella, diced
75g (3oz) honey roast ham, roughly chopped
45ml (3tbsp) fresh chives, finely cut
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed green leaf salad to serve.

1.After the potatoes are taken out from the oven – lower the temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4 – cut 1cm(1/2inch) off the top of each scoop out the flesh to leave a 5mm (1/4inch) thick shell.

2. Mash the flesh with butter, mustard and egg yolks. Stir in the ham, cheese, chives and season to taste.

3. Whisk the egg whites until fairly stiff and gold into the potato mixture. Pile back into the shells and bake for about 20 min. until puffed and lightly browned. Serve with a crisp green-leaf salad.

“Women are like ovens. We need 5 to 15 minutes to heat up”
 Sandra Bullock

Photos provided by; starfruitsonline.co.uk/yumsugar.com/karibbeanflavour.com/buycheapgrocery.com/
mycrazytown.com/zingermanscreamery.com/aglugofoil.com