Damn do I love a baked potato! Especially if they’re cooked in coals and the outside goes all crisp but chewy and charred and delicious… remind me to buy a barbecue, would you?!
Until then, I have to be satisfied with those baked in the oven and topped with a warm and comforting mornay-type sauce with spinach thrown in for pretend nutritional value. Or something. Very difficult to say no to, very easy to veganise if you’re that way inclined (I already use soy milk in everything and vegan margarine is an easy swap, as is veggie cheese or nutritional yeast).
They’re really quite substantial so I usually only get through about half a potato, with side dishes. I also choose rather large potatoes, so there’s plenty of room for the filling and plenty of soft creamy potato inside. The sauce will do about four potatoes.
Ingredients:
1-2 potatoes per person, scrubbed to within an inch of their life
olive oil
salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1.5 cups milk
1 bunch fresh spinach or 1 box frozen, thawed and drained
1 bay leaf
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper
at least 1 cup cheese, grated with extra for topping
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 220C.
2. Rub potatoes with olive oil and salt and place directly on the oven rack to cook for one hour. You can par-boil them if you’re in a hurry and put them into the oven to finish + crisp up.
3. Remove potatoes and gently cut in half lengthways. Scoop out potato flesh, leaving about 1cm of potato on the skin to form little potato bowls.
4. While potatoes are cooking, melt the butter with the flour over medium heat. Stir for at least 1 minute, then add milk, bay leaf and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sauce boils and thickens (I cook it over high heat because I’m a rebel and I’ve never had a problem with lumpy sauce). Add spinach, salt, pepper and cheese, and remove bay leaf. Stir in potato flesh.
5. Pile everything back into the potato shells and top with cheese. Bake another 15 minutes or so until heated through and cheese on top is browned.
Until then, I have to be satisfied with those baked in the oven and topped with a warm and comforting mornay-type sauce with spinach thrown in for pretend nutritional value. Or something. Very difficult to say no to, very easy to veganise if you’re that way inclined (I already use soy milk in everything and vegan margarine is an easy swap, as is veggie cheese or nutritional yeast).
They’re really quite substantial so I usually only get through about half a potato, with side dishes. I also choose rather large potatoes, so there’s plenty of room for the filling and plenty of soft creamy potato inside. The sauce will do about four potatoes.
Ingredients:
1-2 potatoes per person, scrubbed to within an inch of their life
olive oil
salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1.5 cups milk
1 bunch fresh spinach or 1 box frozen, thawed and drained
1 bay leaf
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper
at least 1 cup cheese, grated with extra for topping
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 220C.
2. Rub potatoes with olive oil and salt and place directly on the oven rack to cook for one hour. You can par-boil them if you’re in a hurry and put them into the oven to finish + crisp up.
3. Remove potatoes and gently cut in half lengthways. Scoop out potato flesh, leaving about 1cm of potato on the skin to form little potato bowls.
4. While potatoes are cooking, melt the butter with the flour over medium heat. Stir for at least 1 minute, then add milk, bay leaf and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sauce boils and thickens (I cook it over high heat because I’m a rebel and I’ve never had a problem with lumpy sauce). Add spinach, salt, pepper and cheese, and remove bay leaf. Stir in potato flesh.
5. Pile everything back into the potato shells and top with cheese. Bake another 15 minutes or so until heated through and cheese on top is browned.
Linky Bitz
♥ The linky will be up every Monday morning, and will stay up until the following Sunday. It doesn’t matter if you eat your meal on a day other than Monday – it’s just an easy day to create the link.
♥ Grab the Meatless Monday button above and put it in your post, and even on your sidebar if you’re feeling generous!
♥ Visit at least one other blogger and leave some love. This is so much more cool if we’re in it together!
Clare says
August 26, 2012 at 9:34 pmMeatless Monday sounds wonderful! I think I'll cook tonight and link up tomorrow! Fingers crossed all goes to plan!
Mother Down Under says
August 26, 2012 at 11:29 pmI love baked potatoes…and so do Daddy R and Baby C…so I try to bake a few each week.
They are great to have in the fridge in case I don't feel like cooking dinner.
I generally just do boring baked potatoes…olive oil and salt…and then add exciting topped afterwards but I will have to try this recipe!
Christie Connelly says
August 27, 2012 at 12:07 amTwo of my favourite things! Baked potato + bechamel = serious love. I'm feeling the token spinach inclusion too.
Veggie Mama says
August 27, 2012 at 12:40 amooh I look forward to the fruits of your endeavours!
Veggie Mama says
August 27, 2012 at 12:40 amooh I love the idea of baking them in advance! I have GOT to do that xx
Veggie Mama says
August 27, 2012 at 12:41 amYou know… ahem… colour. *cough*
Veggie Mama says
August 27, 2012 at 12:49 amPS I just shared your newborn post on my FB page… I hope you don't mind!
Christine says
August 27, 2012 at 2:02 amwhat a lovely recipe for meatless mondays! mmmm cheesy spinach poatoes, yum!
Veggie Mama says
August 27, 2012 at 2:13 amAnd good for you, too!
Wendy says
August 27, 2012 at 9:54 amI'm really loving your Meatless Monday posts and my god that potato looks massive! Your lovely comment last week has made me put up another submission this week. Thanks!
Veggie Mama says
August 27, 2012 at 10:02 amhaha it was huuuuuuuuge! Honestly, I could only get through half but it was awesome, because it made great leftovers. So pleased you're playing along 🙂
Kelly HTandT says
August 27, 2012 at 10:35 amThese sound amazing! And what a fantastic link up, I'll have to keep an eye on this one. We're meat eaters, but mostly because I just don't really know how to cook without it! Looking forward to finding some more meat-free meals here, thank you x
Veggie Mama says
August 27, 2012 at 10:50 amI sort of didn't either when I first started! But it wasn't as hard as I thought. You'll find plenty of meat-free goodies here 🙂
Raynor says
August 30, 2012 at 6:06 amYES PLEASE.
Veggie Mama says
August 30, 2012 at 9:28 pmHah I wish I'd made extra so I could have some tonight!
Bibi @ Veggierunners.com says
September 1, 2012 at 8:52 amMy GOODNESS that looks good. I can't believe I never thought of it before!
Veggie Mama says
September 2, 2012 at 10:30 amI totally need to make it more often!