Stuffed Marrow

Method

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1. Halve the marrow lengthways and scoop out the seeds and soft core with a spoon.

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2. Rub the cavities with the 2 tsp salt, set the halves cut side down on a rack and leave 30 minutes.

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3. Meanwhile, soften the onion in the oil 8 minutes, add the garlic for 1 minute, then brown the mince hard, 8 minutes.

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4. Stir in the tomato purée, tomatoes, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and simmer 20 minutes, until very thick and almost dry.

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5. Stir the 60 g breadcrumbs into the filling.

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6. Rinse the marrow halves, pat them thoroughly dry and set them in a roasting dish.

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7. Pack the filling into the cavities and press it down.

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8. Mix the cheddar with the 40 g breadcrumbs, scatter over and dot with the butter.

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9. Bake at 180C fan / 200C / gas 6 for 40 minutes, until the marrow is tender and the top is browned.

   Mark done Start 40 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Salt the cavities for half an hour. Everything depends on it.
• Cook the filling until it is drier than seems right.
• Dry the marrow properly before filling it.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Buttered new potatoes
• A green salad
• Brown sauce

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat covered at 180C. Do not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.