Poppy O’Toole’s shrimp po’ boy jacket is the ultimate spud glow-up

Prawn cocktail on a baked potato? Poppy O’Toole says you can do better. Inspired by New Orleans’ iconic po’ boy, this crispy shrimp-loaded spud is a game-changer

Like a po’ boy and a baked potato had a very delicious baby (Ellis Parrinder)

“Enter the collab of the century: prawns and jacket potatoes,” says chef and queen of potatoes, Poppy O’Toole.

“You might be partial to a basic bit of prawn cocktail on your spud, but I’ve amped it up by taking some of the flavours of a New Orleans po’ boy and creating the shrimp potato of dreams. If you need me, I’ll be sat alone in the corner demolishing one of these beauties.”

Shrimp po’ boy jacket potato with coleslaw

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 baking potatoes

Neutral oil

100ml buttermilk

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

1 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp onion granules

½ tsp ground black pepper

8-10 raw, deveined prawns

50g plain flour

Few knobs of butter

For the coleslaw:

⅛ small red cabbage, thinly shredded

⅛ small white cabbage, thinly shredded

½ carrot, peeled and julienned

2 tsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Small handful of chives, chopped

Salt and black pepper

For the sauce:

2 tbsp mayo

1 tbsp ketchup

Squeeze of lemon juice

Dash of Tabasco

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Method:

An entire book dedicated to the world’s greatest carb? Finally (Bloomsbury)

1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/425F/gas 7. Rub your potatoes with oil and a good amount of salt, and pierce them all over with a fork. Place them on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes, until tender on the inside and crisp on the outside.

2. While the potatoes are baking, make the coleslaw. Mix together all the veg in a bowl. In another bowl, combine the white wine vinegar, olive oil and herbs. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and turn to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside for later.

3. Make the sauce by mixing together all the ingredients in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper, then tasting and adjusting the ingredients to your preference. Set aside.

4. Once the potatoes are almost ready, season the buttermilk with salt and pepper and half a teaspoon each of the smoked paprika, dried mixed herbs, garlic granules and onion granules, and a quarter of a teaspoon of the ground black pepper, then tip in the prawns. In a bowl, combine the flour, a big pinch of salt to season, and the remaining smoked paprika, herbs, garlic and onion granules, and pepper.

5. Pour your oil into a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based saucepan (don’t let it come more than halfway up the inside of the pan). Place the pan over a high heat and get the oil to 180C/350F on a cooking thermometer (or use the thermometer in your fryer).

6. Sprinkle one tablespoon of the seasoned buttermilk into the flour and stir to form some clumps that will go super-crispy. Shake off the excess buttermilk and, in batches, coat the prawns in the flour and fry for about one to two minutes, until golden brown, crispy and cooked through. Set each batch aside to drain on kitchen paper while you fry the remainder, then season lightly with salt.

7. Slice the jacket lengthways down the middle, open it up slightly and fork in the butter to melt. Top with a large dollop of the coleslaw, and crown with a few of those crispy prawns and a drizzle of sauce.

Recipe from ‘The Potato Book’ by Poppy Cooks (Bloomsbury, £22).