So here it is!

Cooking Time: 30-40 mins*

Serves: 2 adults + mother & toddler lunch portion or 3-4 toddler pots**

*If pushed for time, the sauce could be cooked up the night before – leave to simmer for at least 20-25 mins on the hob to make sure it is fully cooked through. Equally delicious in a baked potato with a green salad.

**This time I took some to work for my lunch the next day and left the rest for my mother to share with the Little Chap for theirs, so that’s four adults and a toddler.

Ingredients:

1 small to medium-sized marrow (about 12″ long)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 tsp garlic purée
300g lean minced lamb (I buy kilo bags for the freezer, only defrosting what I need the night before)
1 carrot, quartered lengthways and chopped finely
1 stick celery, sliced (quarter first if preparing for little ones!)
4 cup mushrooms, diced
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 generous sprinkling of mixed herbs (about 1 tsp?)
freshly ground black pepper
Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup
1 tsp gravy granules (I use beef to add to the richness of flavour, as I think it works best with the lamb)
4 dessert spoons of cheese sauce granules
250 ml boiling water

Method:

1. Preheat the grill or the top oven to 180 degrees (fan assisted)
2. Wash the marrow, top and tail it and cut the remaining length into quarters
3. Cut/scoop out the soft seeds to leave four rings of marrow
4. Place in a ovenproof dish with a few tablespoons of water
5. Fry the onion, spring onion and garlic purée until soft in the olive oil
6. Add the mince and stir until browned (4-5 mins)
7. Throw in the remaining diced vegetables and coat well in the fat from the lamb (don’t worry – there’ll be plenty even with extra lean lamb!)
8. Sprinkle over the flour and stir in well, then add the tomatoes (and a touch of water if it seems too dry – the sauce needs to be quite thick and viscous or it will just run out of the marrow!)
9. Sprinkle over the mixed herbs and a grind of black pepper.
10. Stir in the tomato ketchup, a generous dash of Worcestershire Sauce and a teaspoon of gravy granules
11. Spoon into the waiting marrow and microwave for 5 mins (if you don’t have a microwave, just oven cook it until you are happy the marrow is cooked soft enough for your taste – I never know if this will be 20 or 30 minutes, so always cheat with the microwave as eminently quicker and easier!)
12. Meanwhile, make up the cheese sauce with the granules and boiling water (come on – I’m a working mum, I don’t have time to simultaneously whip up a cheese sauce – that’s a recipe for a nervous breakdown! A bit of extra salt never killed anyone and it’s not like we eat this every day!)
13. Pour the cheese sauce over the stuffed marrow and pop into the oven for 10 minutes until golden and bubbling
14. Serve with rice (3 mins in the microwave from the freezer) and peas (ditto!)

NB: My microwave is a 1000 watt power so you may need to cook the marrow for longer if yours is less powerful. Also bigger pieces of marrow might need to be cooked for longer too.

Mayfair Mum x

© Mayfair Mum, 2011