baked marrow stuffed with chorizo, stilton and orzo

Is there any food more evocative of Spain than the fabulous Chorizo sausage? I think it’s probably one of my favourite cured sausages.  I adore the warmth of the spices and the fabulous colour and flavour it adds to so many dishes.  This is why it’s perfect in the baked marrow stuffed with chorizo, stilton and orzo.

marrow

Anyone who has tried to cook marrow will know that it is particularly subtle in it’s flavour. (This is a polite way of saying that it’s very bland.) But my lovely neighbour and keen home-vegetable-grower Geoff handed me a whopper of a vegetable last week and I really couldn’t turn it away.

Spanish Chorizo

I was recently gifted some incredible Spanish Chrozio from the lovely people at the Consortium of Spanish Chorizo who are keen to promote their incredible product and celebrate this wonderful spicy sausage.  Not just the sausage but the fact that you can now purchase the product as a snack, and as little chopped pieces that are perfect for using in recipes. Spanish Chorizo companies are present in some of the main supermarkets in the UK, like Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s. Look out for the seal Spanish Chorizo from ‘Consorcio del Chorizo Español’, which means that it is guaranteed and authentic 100% Spanish Chorizo.

Ingredients

• 1 large stuffed marrow – halved lengthways, de-seeded and slightly scooped out (keep the flesh)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery – finely chopped
• 1/2 fennel bulb (optional) – finely chopped
• 1 carrot – finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – crushed
• 1 packet of diced chorizo – Goikoa do an amazing one
• 200g orzo pasta
• 1/2 litre good quality vegetable stock
• 100g stilton cheese

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C
2. Lay the marrow onto a baking tray, flesh face up and drizzle well with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  My marrow was just too big to go into the baking tray in one piece so I cut it in half.
3. Bake in the oven for 20 mins, then remove and set aside
4. Meanwhile, in a large pan with a lid, gently melt some butter and a little olive oil, then sauté the onions, celery, carrot and fennel for about 5 mins until they begin to soften.
5. Stir in the garlic and some fresh herbs and then throw in the chopped chorizo and let the whole thing sauté for another 5 – 8 mins.  The chorizo should release it’s wonderful orange juices and begin to colour the dish.
6. Add the orzo and stir well, then pour over the stock, turn the heat down and pop on the lid.  Let it gently cook on a low heat for another 5 mins. Then turn the heat off and let it cool for another 5 mins. Crumble in the stilton and stir well.
7. Carefully spoon the orzo stuffing into the baked marrow until the centre is generously filled.
8. Drizzle the top with olive oil and Sean with salt and pepper then bake in the oven for another 20 mins.

Check out Dom in the Kitchen for more stuffed vegetable recipes.

Eat and of course, enjoy!