In London, we ran into “jacket potatoes” in all the little sidewalk restaurants and sandwich shops. The British fluff up a whole baked potato and pour over it things like chicken and cheddar cheese or baked beans and sausages, resulting in a tasty square meal similar to our own stuffed baked potatoes. I devised this version in remembrance of the great Indian cuisine we enjoyed at the Regent Tandoori, near Picadilly Circus.

Concoct the curried cauliflower while the potatoes are baking.

Curried Cauliflower Jacket Potatoes
Karyl Bannister, Cook & Tell

4 cups cauliflower florets, cut into bite-size pieces
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, cut into narrow strips
1 small onion, halved from stem end to root end, then thinly sliced in the same direction
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons ketchup
2 Tablespoons plain yogurt
4 hot, freshly baked potatoes
Salt

Steam the cauliflower in a steamer basket in a large saucepan of boiling water until barely done, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the bell pepper and onion until the onion is limp and translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the curry powder, and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes fall apart, about 5 minutes. Add the steamed cauliflower and sauté for 2 minutes more, then stir in the ketchup and yogurt.

With a fork, pierce the top of each baked potato in a crisscross pattern and break it open by pushing the ends toward the middle. Fluff the potato flesh with the fork, sprinkle with salt to taste, and top each with an overflowing portion of the curried cauliflower. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Karyl Bannister writes and illustrates the newsletter Cook & Tell, published ten times a year.