Ask Ottolenghi: how to jazz up a jacket potato

Think tinned fish, curry, tahini, soft vegetables in butter … and who says the cheese has to be cheddar?

I’m tight on time lately, so want to have more jacket potato dinners. What toppings can I use other than tuna salad or baked beans and cheddar?
Paloma, Colorado, US
The key with the filling for a jacket potato is to use something that is, er, filling (which is why tuna or baked beans work so well) and to have a rich, creamy element that brings everything together, which is why mayonnaise is such a classic combo with tuna and grated cheese with beans.

Try that mayo with a different protein, though – it works especially well with leftover roast chicken, chopped ham or prawns, say. Or use coleslaw instead, maybe with some chopped fried bacon or pancetta mixed in. Or take the sauce in a curried direction with the likes of coronation chicken; for vegetarians, simply replace the chicken with chickpeas or butter beans.