Moussaka-stuffed marrow
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Our resident allotment owner Food Urchin, shares his moussaka stuffed marrow recipe and his story about what it’s like to be part of a community of plot owners.
Ingredients
- 1 marrow , large, or an overgrown courgette
- 500g of lamb mince
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 1 bunch of bunch of flat-leaf parsley , small, chopped
- 175ml of white wine
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 500g of passata
- 2 aubergines , sliced into thin rounds, not salted
- 50g of butter
- 50g of plain flour
- 300ml of whole milk, warm
- 1 pinch of grated nutmeg
- olive oil, for frying
- salt
- pepper
Method
1
Heat some olive oil in a wide, non-stick saucepan and gently sauté the onion for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and parsley, cooking for a minute or so, then turn up the heat and add the mince. Brown the meat all over, then add the cinnamon, oregano and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute and then add white wine, leaving it to bubble and evaporate. Add the tomato passata, reduce the heat and leave to gently simmer on the hob for 1 hour, or until the liquid has reduced and the mix is rich and thick
2
Whilst the meat is cooking away, heat some oil in a frying pan (or a couple of pans to get the job done quicker) and in small batches, fry the aubergine slices on both sides until golden. Remove and place on a plate with kitchen towel to absorb any excess oil
3
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
4
When the meat is ready, slice the marrow into 4 even slices and hollow out the soft centre, making even circles, and stand on a baking tray. In each one, layer some aubergine slices on the bottom, then add a generous layer of meat. Repeat, depending on depth of marrow slice, leaving a gap at the top to hold the béchamel
5
To make the béchamel, heat the butter in a saucepan. When it begins to foam, add the flour and whisk to form a roux. Turn the heat down and gently cook the roux through for 2 minutes. Bring the heat back up and then gradually add the warm milk, whisking all the while until it thickens. Stir through the pinch of nutmeg and then spoon a layer of béchamel on top of the marrow
6
Place the marrow and moussaka into the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the tops have browned and the marrow has softened
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Moussaka-stuffed marrow
