Marrow is a vegetable that people often want a really impressive recipe for. A well-cooked marrow can make a perfect centrepiece for a roast dinner when stuffed with your favourite filling as it slices up into generous portions. It also gives you a third of your protein requirements and is low in saturated fat. This recipe is easy to make and is roasted in the oven along with a good selection of low-carbon, seasonal autumn vegetable, like butternut squash, Romanesco cauliflower and carrots. A delicious red wine and lentil gravy finishes this meal off perfectly!
Ingredients
For the stuffed marrow
- 1 long marrow, about 30cm in length
- 150g Quorn mince
- 100g cooked beetroot, chopped
- 170g cooked Puy lentils
- 50g walnuts, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the vegetables
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 small Romanesco cauliflower
- 3 rainbow carrots
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
For the gravy
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 250g banana shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, lightly crushed
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 400ml vegan red wine
- 400ml vegetable stock
- 100ml beetroot juice
- 50 margarine
- 70 cooked Puy lentils
Method
- To make the stuffed marrow: Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.
- Peel the marrow and cut off the two ends. Using a spoon, remove the centre of the marrow leaving 1.5cm thickness all around. Set the pulp to one side in a small bowl.
- Place the pulp into a food processor together with the cooked beetroot. Process until roughly chopped and well combined.
- Mix in the Quorn mince, lentils, chopped walnuts, garlic granules and herbs. Put the filling in the fridge.
- Brush the peeled marrow with the rapeseed oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over a high heat, sear the marrow on all sides. This will take about 10 minutes. Once evenly charred and golden all around, remove it from the pan onto a chopping board.
- Remove the filling from the fridge and use a spoon to stuff the marrow, pressing it in gently to make sure not to leave any air pockets.
- Put the marrow in a large 40 x 30cm casserole dish, then place it in the fridge to firm up.
- To prepare the side vegetables: Peel the butternut squash and remove and discard the stringy centre. Chop the flesh into large chunks. Remove and discard the toughest leaves around the Romanesco cauliflower and break off the florets. Chop the stem into large chunks. Peel and chop the carrots into large, rustic chunks.
- In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the rapeseed oil, salt and pepper.
- Remove the marrow from the fridge and place the seasoned vegetables all around it. Put the casserole dish in the oven for 60 minutes, shaking it halfway through to prevent anything from sticking.
- To make the gravy: In a large saucepan, add the rapeseed oil and fry the shallots over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic, rosemary and bay. Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and wine, then bring it to the boil. Turn it down to a simmer and leave it to reduce in volume by two-thirds.
- Pour the vegetable stock and beetroot juice into the saucepan, then bring it to the boil. Turn it down to a simmer and leave it to reduce in volume by two-thirds again.
- Remove the garlic, rosemary and bay from the saucepan. Whisk in the butter and once it has become thick and creamy, add the cooked lentils. Remove from the hob when the gravy is ready.
- To serve: Remove the roast from the oven and place it on a chopping board. Cut it into 2cm thick slices, then serve with a side of the roasted vegetables and a drizzle of gravy. The roast can also be served straight from the tin.
NB: Nutrition values given are for the complete meal, including gravy and side vegetables.