These have to be the ultimate comfort food…potatoes, cheese, bacon, cream – what more could you want?

Ingredients

4 medium baking potatoes

Olive oil

5 rashers of good quality bacon

A knob of butter (I like salted)

2 leeks

4tbsp double cream

100g mature cheddar, grated

2tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped – plus more for garnish if desired

50g gruyère, grated

Serves 4

Method

Prick the potatoes and bake in the oven until the skin is crispy and the flesh feels soft when pierced with a fork (about 1-1.5hrs, depending on your oven).

Heat a dash of olive oil in a pan.

Chop the bacon rashers into small pieces and fry over a high heat until crispy.

Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and put to one side.

Add a knob of butter to the pan and melt.

Finely chop the leeks and add to the pan, along with a dash of water. Leave to cook over a low heat until the leeks are really soft (about 20 minutes).

Slice the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides into a bowl, being careful not to tear the skins.

Place the empty skins onto a baking sheet.

In a bowl combine the potato flesh with the bacon, leeks, cheddar, cream, parsley and plenty of salt and pepper (this mix might possibly be one of the best things you will ever eat).

Pile the mix back into the potato skins…

…and sprinkle each one with gruyère.

Bake in the oven until bubbling and golden.

I like these served sprinkled with some more fresh parsley and with a simple green salad.