Jacket Potato with Smoked Cod and Broccoli Filling

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes
225g smoked cod, skinned
140ml milk
pinch of freshly-grated nutmeg
120g broccoli florets
30g butter
30g plain flour
oil for frying
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

For perfect jacket potatoes you need potatoes of even size (about 275g [10 oz] each is ideal). Scrub the potatoes clean and prick all over with the tines of a fork. Brush with a little butter or oil then sit on a baking tray and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200°C (400°F, Gas Mark 6) and bake for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft when gently squeezed.

Place the cod in and ovenproof dish. Pour over the milk and season with salt, black pepper and the nutmeg. Cover with foil then cook alongside the potatoes for 20 minutes. When the fish has cooked, drain off the liquid into a measuring jug and make up to 280ml with water then set aside. Flake the fish and set this aside as well.

Bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for about 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, scatter over the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Take off the heat and gradually beat in the reserved fish cooking liquid. Beat until smooth then return the pan to the heat and cook gently until thickened.

Stir in the fish and the broccoli then cut the baked potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh. Mash the potatoes thoroughly and spoon into a piping bag. Spoon the fish mixture into half the potato skins and pipe the potato on top.

Discard the remaining potato skins. Brush the tops with a little oil and return to the oven for about 15 minutes to brown the tops. Serve immediately.