Baked Potato Special

Recipe by Naomi Linnie

This meal is a favourite for my husband and I because it ticks all the boxes for us; its tasty, satisfying, very good value for money and provides a balanced meal. We have it regularly and if we leave out the spices our two daughters will eat it too. Serves 2.

Mixed bean baked potato

Mixed bean baked potato

Mixed bean baked potato

Enlarge image

Ingredients 

2 x large potatoes 

1 tin of mixed beans (eg chick peas, black eyed beans, kidney beans etc)

100 ml of chicken stock

150g bacon lardons (optional)

2 tblsp tomato purée

1/2 tspn paprika 

pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste)

150g creme fraiche

150g grated cheese (cheddar/ mozzarella) 

Knob of butter

Chopped chives to garnish

Method

1. Wrap each potato in tinfoil and bake in a preheated oven (180 degrees) for about an hour.
    
2. Meanwhile, fry off the bacon in a heavy bottomed pan. Rinse the mixed beans and add to the cooked bacon with the chicken stock, tomato puree, paprika and cayenne pepper. 
    
3. Allow to simmer for 20 mins until the mixture has thickened. 
    
4. Once the potato is cooked, cut the top and give the potato a squeeze at the bottom to open it up, add a knob of butter and mash it a little with the fork to make it nice and fluffy.
    
5. Spoon half of the bean mixture on top of each potato. 
    
6. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top and eat in the microwave for a few seconds to melt.
    
7. Add a dollop of creme fraiche on top, and then sprinkle with chopped chives to garnish.