homemade celery-salt crusted baked potato

I love a baked potato with a salt crust, of all the many ways to enjoy potato it would always be my first choice. And if you make them like this, you will probably love them too.

To get the perfect fluffy baked potato you need a 'floury' spud, the white fleshed sort. Varieties such as King Edward or Maris Piper are perfect for the job. The kind that look like 'Mr. Potato Head' are the ones you are after, and about that size as well. Your oven needs to be between 200 - 220 degrees and a decent sized potato will take at least an hour to cook. Do not wrap a potato in tin foil - they don't like that.

Celery Salt

It's fun to make your own flavored salts and celery salt especially always seems so expensive to buy and to lose its flavour quite quickly once opened! It is easy to make and versatile, use it in place of your usual salt - it is especially nice with fish or egg based dishes. It keeps forever and you can keep topping it up every time a new bunch of celery comes home with you.

Leaves from celery

Flaky sea salt, Maldon is best in this instance

Pick the leaves from each celery stalk, hunt out the little leaves from down the centre also. Leave the stems aside for your usual recipes calling for celery. Put in a single layer on a baking sheet, then toast them in a hot oven for about 5 minutes. Bake until they have dehydrated and gone nice and crispy, but take them out before they have browned. This won't take long so do keep an eye.

Remove from heat and cool completely. Scrunch up the leaves, using your fingers discard any that aren't crispy.

Measure out an equal amount of salt to celery, judging by eye. Put in a jar and stir to mix evenly.

Baked Potatoes

4 (1/2-pound) baking potatoes

1 egg white

Homemade celery salt

Wash and dry potatoes, leave skin on. Prick potatoes all over with a fork. Lightly beat the egg white with a couple of spoons of water in a bowl. Pour your celery salt into another bowl. Roll potato in egg white, then in salt, coating the potato fully. Place on a baking sheet and transfer onto the centre rack in an oven. Bake for approximately 1-2 hrs depending on size. You should be able to pierce your potato all the way through with a knife when done. It should be soft with a crispy skin.

This is just how a baked potato should be.