Stuffed Marrow a Simple Way to Make Something Delicious

There are lots of marrow’s around at this time of year—here in the UK and they are cheap, or you have them growing in your garden, or a kind neighbour has given you one. How do you make a marrow exciting? Stuff it with a simple delicious filling of onions, tomatoes,peppers, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and raisins—with a bit of heat—it’s full of so much flavour and textures.

From start to finish it should not take more than 40 minutes to an hour tops.

Ingredients - marrow

• I large marrow

• Olive oil

• Sea salt

• Cracked black pepper

Method - part 1

1. Cut about a quarter of the marrow and cut that into half—remove the middle part with the seeds from both halves but keep it.

2. Score the marrow lightly in both directions.

3. Rub some olive oil all over the flesh.

4. Season with sea salt and the black pepper.

5. Bake in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes at Gas Mark 5 or 200ºC—until the inner flesh starts to go soft and the skin gives a little.

While the marrow is baking, you can start preparing the filling.

Ingredients - filling

• 1 large onion chopped—I like red onions

• 1 red pepper de-seeded and chopped

• 250g of cherry tomatoes cut into quarters

• Middle part of the marrow that you kept—chopped roughly

• 2 tbsp of tomato puree

• Handful of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and raisins

• Sea salt to taste

• Black pepper to taste

• Cayenne pepper to taste

• Splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

• 1 tsp of tahini—if you don’t have any it’s fine

• 1 or 2 garlic cloves crushed

• Olive oil
  
  Middle part of the marrow removed

Method - part 2

1. Cook the onions in a little water and sweat them using a medium heat—until they are soft in a large frying pan. The water should reduce completely once they are cooked. If you have added too much water—just drain it off.

2. Add the peppers, tomatoes, the middle part of the marrow, tomato puree, garlic, seasoning and olive oil—cook on a medium/low heat with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Make sure the mixture does not stick to the pan—if it does gently unstick it and add more olive oil.

   

3. Once all the ingredients start to soften, add the, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, raisins, tahini, cider vinegar and more olive oil if needed—mix everything well and continue to cook with the lid on a low heat.

4. Check to see you’re happy with the seasoning and adjust accordingly.

5. Once the filling is ready—remove the baked marrow halves from the oven and add the filling to each half.
   

6. Bake the marrow with the filling for another 10 minutes at Gas Mark 5 or 200ºC.

Serve as is or with some wilted kale or spinach tossed in some olive oil with garlic and seasoning. Everything is edible including the skin—enjoy!

Served with wilted kale