Baked potatoes with vege chilli
We love this simple and homemade, lock-down loaded spud from food writer Niki Bezzant 😊
Consider this a base recipe that can be adapted to use whatever ingredients you have in your pantry, fridge and freezer. You’ll have some leftover chilli which you can serve for another meal: on toast; with rice or a salad.
Ingredients for 2 baked potatoes:
2 medium baking potato (eg Agria)
2 spring onions (or use onion, or chives)
1 carrot
½ capsicum
1 clove garlic
1
tablespoon oil
¾ cup red lentils (or use canned lentils, chickpeas, beans or even baked beans)
½ teaspoon each: smoked paprika, cumin, chilli flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup corn kernels, defrosted
1-2 cups greens eg baby spinach, silver beet, rocket
1 cup grated cheese
½ cup sour cream or plain yoghurt
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C. Pierce the potatoes a few times and put them in the oven for about 45 minutes – until cooked through.
While potatoes are cooking, make chilli. To start, chop onions, carrot, capsicum and garlic. Grate cheese.
Heat a large pan on a medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic, capsicum and carrot, along with half the spring onions. Cook for 5 minutes. Add lentils along with a cup of water, stock or miso (use whatever you have). Add spices and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until lentils are soft. Add corn and greens and cook another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut the tops off and scoop out the inside flesh. Place this in a bowl along with the remaining spring onions, half the sour cream and most of the cheese – just keep aside about 2 tablespoons. Add a little more smoked paprika and mash roughly to combine.
Spoon mashed potato mix back into potato shells, pushing it down to make as much fit as possible. Spoon lentil chilli on top (don’t worry if some falls off, and remember you won’t use it all) and top with remaining cheese. Switch the oven to grill and place potatoes under the grill for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Serve potatoes topped with remaining sour cream and fresh herbs if you have them.