Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans and Avocado

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 x 400g tins black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 vine tomatoes, finely diced
• ½ red onion, very finely diced
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, stoned and sliced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 150ml sour cream, to serve
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked, to serve
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
• 60g Monterey Jack or mature cheddar, grated, to serve
• Warm flour tortillas, to serve
• Shredded red cabbage slaw, to serve
• Pickled jalapeños, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Rub the sweet potatoes with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper, and place on a baking tray. Bake for 40–45 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife and the skins are slightly crisped.
2. While the potatoes bake, make the salsa. Combine the diced tomatoes, red onion and chilli in a bowl, squeeze over the lime juice, season well and set aside to macerate — the tomatoes will release their juices and soften.
3. About 15 minutes before the potatoes are ready, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Add the red onion and red pepper and cook for 6–7 minutes until softened and starting to colour at the edges.
4. Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and chilli flakes and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant and the spices have darkened slightly.
5. Tip in the black beans, squeeze over the lime juice and season well. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the beans are heated through and beginning to catch slightly in the pan. Remove from the heat.
6. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and split each one open lengthways, pressing the ends in to open them up wide.
7. Spoon the spiced black beans generously into each potato, pressing them down into the soft flesh.
8. Top each with sliced avocado, a spoonful of the fresh tomato salsa, a dollop of soured cream and a scatter of grated cheese.
9. Finish with torn coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime, and bring the tortillas, slaw and pickled jalapeños to the table.