The perfect jacket potato

Yield – one portion

Ingredients

One large flour-y potato, Maris Piper or King Edward

20g coarse sea salt

Knob of best butter to season

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220c/Gas Mark 8.

2. When the oven is up to temperature, wash the muck off the potatoes under the cold water tap.

3. Prick each potato in a couple of places with a fork allowing to dry slightly.

4. In a small shallow bowl, roll each potato into the sea salt giving them an even coating, ignoring the government health warnings.

5. Place your jacket potatoes onto the top shelf of the oven, preferably directly on the rack wire.

6. Cook for around an hour, then give them a squeeze - the jacket potatoes should just ‘give’ and the skin should be distinctly crisp. If not, return them to the oven for another ten minutes, but be vigilant.

7. Take your jacket potatoes out of the oven when you are ready for dishing up, then put them onto the plates.

8. Hit them sharply with a fork so they burst open, then do your thing with the butter and filling of choice.

9. Tuck in immediately as the skin will soon goes soft.

Recommended toppings to try:

* Baked beans and cheese

* Chili con carne and sour cream

* Tuna fish and mayo

* Bonfire hot dog sausages and fried onions