Stuffed vegetables are a simple way to add more vegetables to your diet. From courgettes to peppers, from aubergine to tomatoes, lots of vegetables can be roasted and then stuffed with delicious fillings. Choose your favourite vegetable and for the stuffing, add a combination of grains, beans, herbs, spices or cheese. For this recipe, I’m stuffing potato skins (love them) with a combination of lemon, parmesan, oregano and pine nuts, mixed with the mash from the inside of the potato.
I’ve been making stuffed jacket potatoes for a few months now and usually serve them with a crisp salad. This is ideal food for the transition from summer to cooler days. They are tasty and moorish but not full-on winter comfort food. I’m not quite ready for that just yet.
If you want to get ahead, prep the potatoes and the stuffing up to a day in advance. Just save the roasting of the stuffed potatoes for when you are serving them. These also work great as next day leftovers for lunch or a second dinner.
Just so you guys know…. jacket potatoes are a much over-looked delight. Potato skins are arguably the best part of the potato. Now that we are more focused on reducing waste, save them to make crispy potato skins. Place the skins in a bowl with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss well. Spread the skins out evenly on an oven proof wire tray on top of a baking tray and place in a hot oven for about 10-12 minutes. Turn halfway through. They will turn a golden brown and crisp up nicely. Delicious on their own or with your favourite dip.
I’ve added a recipe for an optional parsley and lemon pesto to spoon over these potatoes. It’s a nice add-on to give extra flavour but it’s not essential. The potatoes taste great on their own. Keep scrolling for the recipe for these Parmesan & Lemon Stuffed Jacket Potatoes.
Parmesan & Lemon Stuffed Jacket Potatoes
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 medium size potatoes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
30g breadcrumbs
30g grated parmesan
15g pine nuts
25g butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dried oregano
Sea salt and black pepper to season
For the pesto (optional)
Large handful of fresh parsley leaves (around 10g)
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
20g pine nuts
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp capers
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to season
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6. Wash the potatoes and prick them a few times with a fork. Place them on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 60 minutes or until the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until they are cool enough to handle. Slice in half lengthways. Scoop the flesh out being careful not to damage the skins.
Put the potato flesh in a bowl along with the other ingredients for the stuffed potatoes. Mash well. Taste and season well with sea salt and black pepper until you are happy with the seasoning.
Spoon the mixture back into the empty skins and place on the baking tray. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The top of the mash should be crisp and brown.
While the potatoes are in the oven, make the pesto. Place all the pesto ingredients, save for the olive oil in food processor or blender and pulse or blend until the ingredients are roughly chopped. Add the oil and pulse to combine. Alternatively make the pesto in a pestle and mortar. Chop the parsley. Pound the dry ingredients to combine and then add the oil and mix into a pesto type consistency.
When the potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven and spoon the pesto over the stuffed potatoes. Serve on their own for a light lunch or dinner or with a side salad.
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