Jacket potatoes with soured cream and chives recipe

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7.

Scrub the potatoes then dry with a clean tea-towel. Prick them all over with a fork (so they don’t split in the oven), then rub with a little oil and sea salt (this will make them golden and crispy). Put them directly on the top shelf of the oven and cook for 11/4 hours, or until crisp and tender. Remove and place on a board.

Make a cross in each potato and ease open. Put in a serving dish and top each with butter and soured cream. Season and serve sprinkled with chives. Or try one of these variations.

Ham, cheese and mustard – mix 200g grated Cheddar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 4 slices chopped ham. Spoon into cooked and halved potatoes and grill to melt the cheese.

Spicy coleslaw and prawns – mix 200g coleslaw, 100g cooked and peeled prawns and 1 deseeded and chopped chilli. Spoon into the cooked potatoes.

Mushroom, crème fraîche and spinach – fry 200g sliced mushrooms in a little oil. Stir in 200ml crème fraîche and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2 good handfuls fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Season and add a large pinch of paprika. Spoon into the cooked potatoes.