Spanish Stuffed Marrow

Course: main

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 1½ hrs

2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) marrow

2 tbs oil

¼ tsp each of salt and black pepper

200 g (7 oz) chorizo, cut into chunks

1 onion, diced

1 chilli pepper, deseeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

1 orange pepper, deseeded and diced

½ aubergine, diced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp turmeric

150 g (5½ oz) rice

500 ml (18 fl oz) vegetable stock

1 Pre-heat the oven to 180 deg. C., 350 deg. F., Gas Mark 4.

2 Cut the marrow in half lengthways. Scrape the seeds, and use a spoon to scrape out some of the flesh to use in other recipes – you’ll need 200 g (7 oz) for the marrow cake. Set that aside.

3 Place the scooped-out marrow halves on a baking tray and drizzle with half the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour.

4 Heat the remaining oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the chorizo for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to go crispy. Add the onion and chilli pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir through the rest of the veg, herbs and spices and the rice. Pour in three-quarters of the stock, cover with a lid and simmer gently.

5 After 15 minutes, check to see if the rice is soft; if not, stir in the rest of the stock and cook for a couple more minutes.

6 Spoon the filling into the cavity in the marrow, then return to the oven and cook for another 20 minutes.