Vegetarian mains
Spinach baked potatoes
These vegetarian baked potatoes hit that magic spot somewhere between decadent and worthy. They make a great simple and inexpensive midweek dinner and can be easily adapted to your kitchen contents: use chard if you have this in your veg box instead of spinach, use crème fraîche or cream in place of soured cream, leeks instead of onions, and pretty much any kind of cheese you fancy.
Ingredients
- 4 baked potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g butter
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 200g spinach, tough stalks removed, washed and chopped
- a little nutmeg, grated, to taste
- 4 tbsp soured cream
- 160g Stilton, crumbled or Cheddar cheese, grated
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Put the potatoes in a baking dish, prick a couple of times with a sharp knife and bake for about an hour or so, until they are soft in the middle and the skins are crispy.
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Step 2
While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the onions and fry gently for about 6-8 minutes, until the onions are soft.
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Step 3
Add the chopped spinach and a grating of nutmeg. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the spinach has just wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Leave to one side.
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Step 4
When the potato is cooked, take each one and slice a 'lid' off the top.
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Step 5
Scoop out the inside of the potato, keeping the skin intact, including the potato flesh in the lid, and place in a bowl. Lightly mash with a fork.
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Step 6
Add the soured cream, spinach mixture and two thirds of the cheese. Mix together to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Step 7
Scoop the potato mixture back into the skin. You will end up with a mounded stuffed potato.
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Step 8
Sprinkle over the rest of the cheese and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
