Nevin Maguire: elevate a simple spud at home

My week began with the launch of my new book, One Pan Wins. It was good to be surrounded by so many friendly faces from over the years, including presenter Mary Kennedy, who I have known since my first day on television on Open House.

The event was kindly hosted by Dunnes Stores. Thank you to Margaret and Anne Heffernan and to all of the Simply Better team. And to my publisher, Gill Books, who, once again, was a pleasure to work with.

Baked potatoes are nutritious and good value. Today, I have one with mince and one vegetarian option – both are ideal to batch cook. This is very handy as we head into autumn. You can try different minces – chicken, pork, turkey or lamb. Choose a floury potato variety, such as Rooster or Maris Piper. You can give them a head start in the microwave on high for five minutes, this halves the cooking time. Some people aren’t keen on Marmite, so leave it out if you prefer.

The one thing you cannot leave out is the Worcestershire sauce. It is essential and it is one of those things I always keep in the cupboard. Filligans in Donegal makes a lovely mustard that will go well in this meal. I’ve used this dhal as the topping for jacket potatoes, but it would be equally good served on its own with some naan bread. The lentils and chickpeas give great texture and soak up the spices.

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 x 200g floury baking potatoes

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

450g button mushrooms, sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

450g lean minced beef

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp yellow mustard

1 tsp Marmite

300ml beef stock

50g butter

1 tbsp milk

50g mature cheddar cheese, grated

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steamed green vegetables, to serve

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).

2 Scrub the potatoes and prick with a fork, then bake in the oven for about one hour, until tender and cooked through.

3 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and sauté for two/three minutes, until softened. Add the carrots and mushrooms and sauté for another two/three minutes, until tender.

4 Stir in the garlic and the mince, then cook for another five minutes or so, until the mince has lost its pink colour, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon.

5 Stir the Worcestershire sauce into the mince mixture with the mustard and Marmite, and cook for two minutes. Pour in the stock, stirring to combine, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the mince is cooked through. Season to taste.

6 When the potatoes are cooked, cut them in half and scoop the flesh out into a bowl, leaving a thin layer in the shells. Add some seasoning to the cooked potato, then beat in the butter and milk until you have achieved a smooth mash.

7 Preheat the grill. Place the potato skins in a shallow roasting tin and spoon in the cooked mince mixture, then pipe or spoon the mashed potato on top. Sprinkle with the grated cheddar cheese, then grill until the cheese has melted and the filling is piping hot.

8 Serve on warmed plates with some steamed green vegetables.

Ingredients: Four jacket potatoes

4 x 200g floury potatoes, scrubbed

1 tbsp sunflower oil

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp black mustard seeds

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

75g red lentils

1 ripe tomato, finely chopped

400ml vegetable stock

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mango chutney or lime pickle, to serve

Method

1 While the jacket potatoes are baking, make the spicy dhal. Heat the oil in a pan with a lid over a medium heat and fry the spices to release their flavours.

2 As soon as they start to crackle, tip in the onion, garlic and chilli with a splash of water, to stop the spices from burning. Cook for five minutes, until the onion softens, stirring occasionally.

3 Add the lentils, tomato and stock, then cover and cook for 10 minutes. Tip in the chickpeas, cover and cook for another 10 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Season to taste, stir in the coriander and spoon onto the split jacket potatoes. Serve with chutney or lime pickle.