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1
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
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2
Scrub the potatoes, prick them with a fork or insert a metal skewer in them, then while they are still damp, dust them lightly with sea salt.
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3
Let sit to dry for a few minutes, then bake until the skin is crisp and the inside soft and fluffya matter of thirty-five minutes to an hour, depending on the potato variety.
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4
Half an hour or so before you expect the potatoes to be ready, start cooking the leeks (it is worth remembering that baked potatoes are good natured, so a few minutes either way wont hurt).
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5
Split the leeks in half, wash them thoroughly, then cut them into finger-thick slices.
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6
Melt half the butter in a heavy pan, add the leeks, and let them cook slowly over low heat until they are soft and translucent.
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7
This will take longer than you might think, as much as fifteen or twenty minutes to soften them completely.
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8
An occasional stir will prevent them browning.
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9
Split the potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl, then drop in the remaining butter and most of the cheese, and beat to a creamy mass with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
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10
Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
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11
Pile back into the skins, dot the last of the cheese over, and return to the oven for a good fifteen minutes, until piping hot.
