Baked potato with Bloody Mary butter, crisp bacon and dill pickles

Loaded potatoes are the ultimate dinner inspiration – a fluffy, blank canvas for bold flavours. For the best results, choose starchy varieties such as Desiree or Yukon Gold to ensure a crisp skin and absorbent flesh. If opting for sweet potatoes, expect a softer skin due to their higher moisture, though the interior remains just as glorious.

This combination of Bloody Mary butter, crispy bacon and pickles is a significant upgrade on the standard sour cream and chives. You’ll likely have more butter than you need for a few spuds, but it’s a brilliant freezer staple to have on standby. Beyond the potato, it’s a revelation melted over steak, tossed with prawns, or dolloped onto fresh oysters.

Other ways to pimp your potato

Middle Eastern topping

For a Middle Eastern twist, fill your roasted potatoes with a spiced butter made by blending 2 tablespoons of zaatar into 115g (½ cup) of softened butter. In a separate bowl, toss together finely chopped coriander, flat-leaf parsley, and a handful of cranberries with lemon zest, chopped smoked almonds, and black sesame seeds.

Slice the potatoes three-quarters of the way through, slather the centres with the zaatar butter, and finish with a bright spoonful of the herb and nut mixture.

Mushroom ragu

For a cold-weather twist, simmer a rich ragu of mixed wild mushrooms, onion, fresh herbs, beef stock and white wine. Once the liquid has reduced and thickened, generously fill your baked potato with the mushroom mixture and finish with a flourish of shaved parmesan cheese.

Sweet potatoes with miso butter, kimchi and spring onion

Roast some sweet potatoes in a 170C fan-forced (190C conventional) oven for about 1 hour using the method above.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, combine 115g (½ cup) of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of white miso paste and a pinch of black pepper. Roll the mixture into a log using cling film, twisting the ends to seal, and refrigerate until firm.

Once the sweet potatoes are tender, slice them lengthwise three-quarters of the way through. Insert a few thick rounds of the chilled miso butter into the warm centres. Finish by topping with dollops of chopped kimchi, a generous sprinkle of crispy fried shallots and sliced spring onions.