Four recipes making the most of marrows

Press, 23 February 1987, Page 16

Four recipes making the most of marrows

Marrows are large and take some eating, so home gardeners are generously distributing these garden giants amongst friends. Commercially grown marrows are cheap now and a good buy if you haven’t grown or been given any. Marrows have a light, pleasant flavour, but if you have a ■ big marrow, or even several to eat, you may get) bored eating steamed marrow each evening. f

Marrow goes well with tomatoes, which are plentiful now, with rice and with the stronger taste of green or red pepper. As marrows are so large, they are very easy to stuff, tasting great filled with egg and cheese, and then baked. Large marrows with deep green skin will probably have to be peeled and have the seeds removed, as these become tough with ,age. These recipes are quick and easy, and show how versatile this vegetable can be made. Stuffed Marrow Serves six. 1 medium marrow 1 egg | 2 cups cottage cheese 1 1 cup Cheddar y 2 tsp marjoram y 2 cup sour cream (optional) Cut marrow into 3 crosswise, then 2 lengthwise, giving 6 pieces. Peel if necessary. Steam until barely tender and still firm, about 15 minutes. Scoop out seeds ■ with a spoon. Place.\in a buttered baking dish. ,

Beat eggs, fold in cottage cheese, grated Cheddar and- marjoram. Stuff filling into hollowed out cavity on top of each marrow piece. Bake 180C/350F until filling has set, about 30 minutes. Optional extra: remove from oven, top with sour cream and bake another 5 minutes. Serve with sliced tomato. Marrow with Rice Serves six 2tbs olive oil 1 onion 2 cloves garlic 1 potato 1 red or green pepper 10 tomatoes y 2 tsp basil 2 cups brown rice 5 cups stock or water 8 fresh French i or runner beans’® y 2 marrow

1 cup grated cheese (optional) y 4 tsp salt (optional) parsley In a large, covered pot gently saute in oil the chopped onion, crushed garlic and the scrubbed and cubed potato. After 10 minutes add the chopped pepper and tomatoes, the basil and rice. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring at intervals. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat with the lid on. Slice the beans crosswise, stringing them first if using runner beans. If necessary, peel the marrow and remove the seeds. Cut into 4 lengthwise, then cut crosswise into narro'w slices. After the rice has steamed for 20 minutes, add the beans and marrow. Cook another 20 minutes until rice is tender. N.B. Mix gently with a fork, adding cheese and salt if desired. Serve

garnished with chopped parsley. Marrow Tomato Bake Serves six 1 marrow 12 tomatoes 2 cups grated cheese i/ 2 tsp dried basil 1 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs Slice marrow in 4 lengthwise. If necessary remove skin and seeds. Slice crosswise into narrow pieces. Steam until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Cut tomatoes into slices (not wedges). Grate the cheese. In a buttered casserole, arrange layers of marrow, tomato, basil and cheese, finishing with cheese. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake 180C/350F for 30 minutes, until tomatoes are cooked. These recipes specify steaming the marrow. To steam, you need to suspend a steaming basket, metal colander or sieve above a small amount of boiling water, so the vegetables are not in contact with water. Boiling is not suitable, as marrow has a very high water content and would become waterlogged, creating too much moisture during baking. Steaming baskets, which adjust to fit any saucepan, can be bought quite cheaply from kitchenware store?. The stuffed marrow and marrow with rice recipes can be served with just a salad to make a complete meal. Marrow tomato bake should be served with T salad and potato, rice, jor a preceding soup, to round out the meal.

Naturally Delicious

By

Anne Doornekamp