Britain runs on jacket potatoes: piping-hot spuds with glassy, crackling skins giving way to a cloud-light interior. From school canteens to market stalls, the humble jacket is a national staple because it’s inexpensive, filling and endlessly adaptable. Most of us crown it with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese, yet there’s a creamier alternative that chef Mary Berry loves. A drizzle of Mary Berry’s Blue Cheese Dressing provides a tangy richness without lots of ingredients.
The brand bills it as the UK’s top-selling blue cheese dressing. It works not only over salad but also as a finishing drizzle that brings salt, acidity and umami flavours to any dish. For perfect jacket potatoes, Maris Piper and King Edward deliver the fluffiest interiors, but any large floury spud should work well.
Method
Cook the potatoes in advance and assemble them when required. Part-cooking the potatoes in the microwave for five minutes will speed up the oven cooking time.
Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6. Prick the potatoes with a fork and bake for one hour to one hour and 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh from the centre into a bowl, leaving a 1cm border around the edges.
Mash with the butter, one tbsp dressing and season well. Stir in the cheese, walnuts, celery and tomatoes with 1 tbsp dressing and spoon back into the potato shells. Place on a baking tray and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until golden.
Drizzle with the remaining dressing and sprinkle with chives to serve.