Jacket Potatoes with Mixed Bean Salad Recipe

Here is a new twist on the traditional jacket potato. In this case it's married with a classic mixed bean salad with the beans in a cider vinegar and mustard dressing.

A classic combination of a traditional jacket potato and a traditional bean salad. You can even dispense with the potato and just make the bean salad on its own — so you get two recipes for the price of one.

Jacket Potatoes with Mixed Bean Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes
213g (7 1/2 oz) tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
225g (8 oz) tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 x 430g (16 oz) tin of adjuki beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 x 400g (14 oz) tin of cut green beans, drained and rinsed
60g (2 oz) frozen sweetcorn kernels, thawed
2 celery sticks, sliced
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp English mustard powder
1 tbsp cider vinegar
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh chives, snipped
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
knob of butter

Method:

For perfect jacket potatoes you need potatoes of even size (about 275g [10 oz] each is ideal). Scrub the potatoes clean and prick all over with the tines of a fork. Brush with a little butter or oil then sit on a baking tray and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200ºC (400ºF, Gas Mark 6) and bake for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft when gently squeezed.

Place all the beans in a bowl and toss to mix then stir in the sweetcorn and celery.

Combine the garlic and salt in a mortar and pound with a pestles to form a paste. Work in the mustard powder, vinegar and black pepper and pound again to combine.

Gradually blend in the olive oil, then transfer the garlic mixture to a small cup. Add the herbs and whisk with a fork until blended. Pour the mixture over the beans and toss until they are well coated in the dressing.

When the potatoes are cooked, cut off the tops of each one and scoop out the flesh. Add a knob of butter, then season with a sprinkling of black pepper. Mash the potatoes well then pile the mixture back into the potato skins.

Serve topped with the bean salad.