Big green things

[mrph]

For some odd reason, I always wanted to grow marrows in the garden, not just courgettes. I'd never really planned beyond the 'growing them' stage, mind you.

Last year I got one marrow. Just one. This year I got four (so far - might get one more before frost kills the plants...).

...which leads on to the question of "what do you do with a marrow?". More than one cook book suggests that the answer is basically "shrug, walk away and cook something else" - as if marrows are a lost cause...

This hasn't helped me to find interesting ways to use them. However, Sarah Raven and Nigel Slater are both, thankfully, made of sterner stuff. :)

Mr Slater's 'Tender" has a recipe for baked marrow with spicy minced pork. Lots of mint, dill and lime. Plus a fair bit of chilli (with the pan-fried mince). It's good. It has a certain kick to it. Definitely autumn food.

Last night's attempt was a little different, though - chicken stock, marrow and coconut milk (plus ginger, basil, mint and onion) as the basis for a soothing, gently warming soup. And half a marrow fed four - including seconds - which is never a bad thing...

Next, I think, it's time to try Nigel Slater's veggie stuffed marrow recipe. Let's see how this one goes... :)

Comments

[kest]

I don't really know what a marrow is, but googling it seemed to imply it's much like a zucchini (courgette) but lighter green? Anyway, I like all the varieties of summer squash sliced and sauted in a pan with a little olive oil and some spices.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

It's like a courgette writ large - the usual variety is dark green with lighter green stripes, and it can grow up to two feet long. It's a popular choice for 'monster vegetable competitions'.

[mrph.livejournal.com]

As Karen says, it's basically just a huge zucchini (some types will grow to marrow size if not picked in time, some are specifically grown as marrows).

The flavour tends to be a little more bland (especially in 'accidental' marrows that were supposed to be zucchini...), but they're great for soaking up other flavours or pairing with something that's a bit bolder (cheese, minced meat, ginger...).

Olive oil and spices definitely work, aye. :)