I love nothing more than lifting up the large green leaves of my courgette plants in late summer to see what’s hiding beneath. If it's a monster courgette, don’t throw it out. Instead, make soup for the freezer or, as I have done here, stuff it. By scooping out the fleshy inside, the marrow works as a great vessel to hold this Mediterranean beef mix. Serve with a salad and if there’s any left over, it’s delicious the next day.
Ingredients
| 1 | Marrow, approx. 30cm (Main) |
| 2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| 1 | Onion, chopped |
| 3 cloves | Garlic, crushed |
| 400 g | Beef mince (Main) |
| 1 tsp | Smoked paprika |
| 1 tsp | Thyme |
| 1 tsp | Oregano |
| 1 pinch | Chilli flakes |
| 2 cups | Tomato passata (Main) |
| ½ cup | Fresh breadcrumbs |
| ½ cup | Sundried tomatoes, chopped (Main) |
| ½ cup | Artichoke hearts, chopped, optional |
| 1 cup | Rocket |
| 100 g | Feta, crumbled |
| ½ cup | Grated parmesan cheese (Main) |
| ½ cup | Chopped parsley |
| 2 Tbsp | Oil, for drizzling |
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Directions
- Preheat an oven to 180C.
- Slice the marrow down the middle, scoop out and discard the large seeds, leaving an even shell.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic, cooking for a few minutes to soften. Add the mince and cook until lightly browned. Add the paprika, thyme, oregano and chilli flakes, stirring through. Add the passata and cook for 8 minutes until the mixture is thick and delicious. Pour into a large bowl.
- Add the breadcrumbs, tomatoes, artichokes, rocket, feta, parmesan and half the parsley, mixing well.
- Place the marrow into a large lined baking dish. Fill the two halves with the savoury mixture. Drizzle over the oil. Pour 1 cup of water around the base, cover dish tightly with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes. Stick a skewer into the marrow to see if it is cooked — it should be soft. If not, continue to cook for another 10 minutes or until softened.
- Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley.
