A baked potato with tuna crunch is easy to prepare.
Preferably you should bake the potato properly in an oven rather than microwaving it.
I rarely use a microwave oven and once you get used to proper cooking again it’s easy enough to adjust from a world where everything is ready in minutes to a more leisurely pace.
This recipe – like most ones I make regularly is easy.
For each person, you’ll need:
A baking potato – regular baking or sweet potato if you like the taste. Cooked until tender.
A can of tuna (100g or so drained)
About half a stick of celery, diced small
About half an onion (ordinary or red), diced small
Optionally, a few slices of cucumber, diced small
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt if you use it
Mayonnaise (regular or diet) or yogurt
Set the potato cooking.
If you’re using a fan oven, it takes about an hour to cook a 250 gram (8 ounce) potato at 220 degrees C, 425 degrees F, gas mark 7.
Scrub the potato first and do your best to remember to stab it with a fork (but it doesn’t explode if you forget to do that).
Put it on one of the grids somewhere near the centre of the oven and set a timer to check it about an hour later.
Potatoes seem to vary in cooking time more than recipe books suggest.
Sweet potatoes seem to take a bit less time than regular baking potatoes – maybe because they’re usually closer in shape to a rugby ball than a football (soccer) ball.
And you can leave the potato in a bit longer if you prefer a crispy skin.
While the potato is cooking, drain the tuna.
Most of the time, I’ll use tuna in brine. Sometimes I’ll get it in spring water. And occasionally I’ll get it in oil. Ideally not sunflower oil (various reasons I’ll go into another time).
Since you’re draining most of the liquid anyway, it’s more a matter of personal choice or your chosen diet plan which type you use.
Put the tuna in a bowl, add in the celery, onion, cucumber, pepper and salt.
If you’re missing one or even two out of the celery, onion and cucumber, don’t worry. This works OK with less of them – it’s just not as bulky. Or you can dice up some pepper or add in some sweetcorn or near enough anything else that takes your fancy.
Mix them together.
Then add the mayo or – if you don’t want something that’s egg based – use yogurt instead.
I’ve used soya yogurt, goat’s milk yogurt, sheep’s milk yogurt as well as the regular cow’s milk yogurt.
I’ve used normal and low fat versions.
And I’ve used regular and light mayo.
They all work pretty well.
Mix them all together.
When the potato is cooked (squeeze it gently, protecting your hands from the heat, to test), put it on your plate.
Slice it in half.
Mash the potato halves with a fork so they fluff up a bit.
Melt in some butter if you want to.
Then give the tuna crunch mix a quick stir in case the mayo or yogurt has separated a bit and put t on top of the potato halves.
If you’re feeling cheffy, sprinkle some chopped parsley over the top to make it look even more appetising than it already is.
This is a simple nutritious meal that doesn’t cost much but has no sugar or other hidden ingredients that you don’t understand and can’t pronounce.
Set the potato cooking.
