Mushroom stroganoff with jacket spuds

Jacket spuds were a staple in my house growing up: they’re cheap, versatile and filling. It’s nice to think outside the box with a filling. That’s where this comes in! It’s not a traditional stroganoff, but it’s a fantastic tasting variation within a budget.

SERVES 4

• 4 baking potatoes

• 1tbsp vegetable or olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 400g mushrooms (from a budget range), cut into chunks

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1tsp paprika

• 1tbsp flour

• 400ml vegetable stock, made from a cube

• 1 heaped tbsp soured cream

• 1tbsp own-brand Dijon or French mustard

• Handful parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Wrap the potatoes individually in foil and put them in the oven for

1hr 20min.

About 15min before the spuds are due to come out of the oven, put a frying pan on medium heat. Add the oil. Add the onion and cook for 3-4min until soft. Keep moving the onion around the pan to prevent burning.

Add the mushrooms, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for 3-4min. This may seem a lot of mushrooms, but they shrink as they cook. Add the garlic and cook for a further min, then add the paprika and stir through.

Now add the flour and stir through, ensuring there are no big lumps. Pour in the stock and let the sauce simmer and reduce for 5min. It will begin to thicken.

Stir through the soured cream and mustard and let the mixture bubble for another min. Add the parsley to finish.

By this point the potatoes will be nice and soft so take them out of the oven, cut in ½ and ladle the mushroom stroganoff over them. Finish with another sprinkling of fresh parsley.