BBQ Loaded Skins

Ingredients:

Serves 2 as a side
2 x 200g Baking Potatoes
2-3 Rashers Smoky Streaky Bacon
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
2 Spring Onions
5cm Fresh Rosemary Sprig
2 tbsp Cream Cheese
20g Goats’ Cheese
Small Knob of Butter (5g)
Rapeseed Oil
Salt & Pepper

Method:

– Set your BBQ for indirect cooking (with the hot charcoals to one side of the bbq only). You want the BBQ at about 200c if you have a thermometer.

– Wash the potatoes and pat them dry. Prick the potatoes all over before adding a drizzle of oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Individually wrap the potatoes completely in tinfoil.

– Place them on the BBQ and shut the lid. After 25-30 minutes turn the potatoes and cook for another 30minutes. When cooked, the potatoes should give a little when squeezed (you can also check by inserting a skewer, it should feel soft). While they bake move on to the filling.

– In a dry frying pan toast the fennel seeds until just starting to colour then set aside (they won’t take long and will suddenly go from golden to burnt so watch them closely).

– Cut the bacon into small lardons and fry them off until golden, remove the pan from the heat and add the fennel seeds to the bacon.

– Pick the rosemary leaves and finely chop them. Finely cut the spring onions into round slices, add them along with the rosemary to the pan with the bacon and fennel.

– Cut or crumble the goats cheese into small pieces (around ½cm). Set ⅓ aside for topping the skins mix the other ⅔ in with the filling mix.

– When the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the BBQ, unwrap them and allow to cool slightly. Once they have cooled enough to handle cut the potatoes in half and using a spoon carefully scoop out the middles into a bowl leaving the skins like boats.

– While the potato middles are still warm beat in the cream cheese and butter until light and smooth (an electric whisk provides great results). Then using a spatula mix the other filling ingredients into the mashed potato.

– Heap the filling back into the potato skin “boats” and top off with the retained goats cheese.

– Put the loaded skins onto the BBQ). Close the lid and allow to bake for 10-20 minutes, until they are golden and melted on top.

Notes:

– These can be made a day or two in advance. Stored covered in a refrigerator.

– If you don’t have time to bake the jackets on the BBQ you can quickly make them in the microwave (approximately 3 minutes on full power, turn the potato over and return for another 3 minutes on full power. If the potato still feels firm continue to cook for 30 second intervals).

– Any cheese will work in this recipe. Try swapping the bacon & goats cheese in the filling for Taleggio and pancetta.

– For extra richness and crispy topping beat an egg yolk into the mash at the point of adding the bacon & spring onions.