… marrow… the eeyore of the vegetable world…
… it’s just such an odd vegetable… like a giant, tasteless sponge… i’m not trying to be difficult – I have tried it many times in many ways but it really doesn’t do anything for me… but I do love courgettes and courgettes do very well with bucket loads of butter and black pepper so with a little butter and pepper love i’ve hopefully developed a tasty way to cook your marrow…
… my neighbours gave me 3 courgette and one marrow plant earlier this year and I planted out the courgettes with joy… I didn’t bother with the marrow until The Viking persuaded me to do something with it as it was looking very forlorn in its little pot… and so out it went into a neglected corner of the garden and so far it’s done exactly what I thought it would do… it’s produced one miserable, medium sized vegetable…
stuffed marrow with fennel, pine nuts and capricorn goats cheese served with tzatziki
the lovely, soft-tummied Ethel sent me some more of her wonderful Somerset Goats Cheese recently as part of her #CapricornChallenge and I thought the wonderful creamy tang of the cheese mixed with some cous-cous and a few caramelised onions an fennel would work a treat stuffed into the marrow and then gently baked… the trick to getting the marrow tasting really wonderful is to cook it slightly in a vegetable stock first, this also helps speed up the baking process and leaves you with a mouth-watering marrow…
for the stuffed marrow
1 marrow
1 large onion – very finely chopped
1/2 fennel – very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves – crushed
fresh herbs of your choice
4 medium mushrooms – finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes – finely chopped
a large handful of torn fresh basil
1 packet of Cous Cous – I’ve used the Ainsley Harriott Spice Sensation cous cous
1 packet of Capricorn Goats Cheese
a handful of pine nuts
100g strong cheddar – grated
1 lt of vegetable stock
for the tzatziki
4 tablespoons greek yoghurt
1 quarter regular cucumber – diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
the juice of half a lemon
1 garlic clove – crushed
– take your marrow and halve it long-ways, scoop out the seeds and then scoop out a little of the flesh – keep the flesh for cooking with but throw away the seeds. Slice a little edge off the bottom so that the marrow can sit neatly on a baking tray without rolling over.
– simmer some water in a large pan, add some stock and gently lower the marrow halves into it – let them bubble away till the marrow is just beginning to soften – about 5 mins, take out of the water, drain and set aside on the baking tray
– dry fry the pine nuts – then set aside
– saute the onions, garlic, herbs and fennel in a little butter and olive oil until soft, then chuck in the mushrooms and marrow flesh and soften, then chuck in the tomatoes and half the basil and let it bubble away gently for 20 mins
– prepare your couscous and when ready tip this along with the pine nuts and the rest of the basil into the pan with the vegetables and mix it up, take it off the heat and crumble in the goats cheese and cheddar, stirring until combined
– spoon the mixture into the marrow halves, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven on 170C for about 20 mins or until its all golden and bubbling and the marrow is beginning to crisp at the edges
– to make the tzatziki simply combine the ingredients and season to taste
eat and of course, enjoy!
I've got marrows coming out of my ears at the moment (not literally but you know what I mean) so will give this recipe a whirl, looks very good.
Oh my this is really the only way to eat marrow from now on. I hated marrow as a child and mother would insist of serving some watery gulp at least once per week, I would dry reach at just the look of it sitting on the plate. Wonder if she is still cooking it – dare I send her this recipe?
I've never tried marrow before, but your marrow stuffed with cous cous not only looks delicious but looks super healthy x
This looks pretty good, Dom! Put a tasty stuffing in an old boot and I'm game … XO!
That looks mighty tasty Dom! yum yum yum.
I love marrow and these look sensational!
Okay, Google, here I come. I confess I have no idea what marrow is, although it appears to be some kind of long squash. I wonder if a puree of it with a bunch of cheese might be a palatable way to go.
Like it! Better than a boring old risotto, eh?
ooh I love this! Treated right, those bland old veggies come alive when they soak up the flavours from the ingredients that you combine them with. Tempted to let my courgettes grow into marrow proportions just to make this recipe.
marrows aew only worth one thing
and that is entering into a flower and produce show!
I've never been that keen on marrow as it is really tasteless. However with your lovely stuffing and the tip to poach it in stock I should give it a go. Thanks. GG
That's a lovely bit of flavour to add to a marrow. Due to the sad neglect of my veg patch, I've had many oversized courgettes. You're right, the best way is to pack them with flavour. I've been adding things like extra hot chilli con carne – that way the bland marrow flavour comes as a nice counterpoint.
you did it grand I miss marrow can't seem to get it here
Interesting Dom, though I am not a huge fan of marrow. I can see myself trying this out though with the lovely flavours here. probably a great one for kiddies too since it is easily mashable
It may not be the most exciting vegetable in the world, but I'm rather fond of marrow. It was one of the staples I grew up on – a whole hollowed out marrow stuffed with rice and mince & then cooked in some sort of tomato sauce for a few hours. It's a pain to make though and I've only managed it myself once.
Yours looks fantastic and I bet the cheese will have helped make it extra scrummy.
Great tip with the chicken stock to enhance the flavour Dom.
I have fond memories of boiled marrow! Though I was a very good child and ate pretty much every vegetable with glee! Yes its plain, but in a good kind of plain way!
You have taken marrow into the 21st century, looks fantastic! I love the sound of that flavour combination mm!
This recipe looks delicious. We have a Veggie in the family – she will love this.
Is it bad that I have never had marrow before? I don't think I've even seen marrow here. Even if it's tasteless, you sure do make it look amazing!
I LOVE marrows and that is a GREAT way to stuff em' Dom! I LOVE that and I think Ethel will also LOVE that recipe, I think you will be the runaway winner in this contest, you goaty cheese lover! LOL! Karen
Delicious – not miserable at all – a fine looking specimen. Love baked marrow, might try it and add some minced lamb.
I never heard of this vegetable. It looks like a really big striped zucchini. Anything with that much flavor stuffed into it has to be good.
Have to admit that I've happily passed over marrow in the supermarket whenever I've seen it, but your stuffed marrow does look pretty majestic. I love the sound of the combination of flavours you've chosen too. Perhaps I'd even be persuaded to buy a marrow!