Know your Marrow

Know your Marrow - Introduction

• • The vegetable marrow, Cucurbita pepo var. ovifera, is cultivated extensively in England, and can grow to be up to 1 metre (3 foot) in length.

  • The name vegetable marrow is often shortened to just marrow.

• Marrow is always served cooked.

  • It is closely related to the courgette and can be cooked in any manner suitable for that vegetable.

  • A member of the squash family, the marrow is a distinctive looking, large vegetable.

• While related to many varieties of the squash family the marrow is grown to a much larger size than those would normally be grown, while still retaining an acceptable taste.

Know your Marrow - Common names

• Called marrow squash in the US.

• The vegetable marrow is closely related to courgette, zucchini, and squash, and overgrown specimens of these are often mistaken for it.

Know your Marrow - Botany

• • The vegetable marrow plant is a half hardy annual, vigorous trailing plant.

  • The marrow is shaped like a slightly curved cylinder, a bit smaller at the top than the bottom.

  • Its edible shiny skin can be any shade of green, sometimes with yellow markings that give it a striped or mottled look, and its flesh is tender with a subtle flavour.

Know your Marrow - Cuisine

• • When buying marrow choose the smallest one that you can.

  • Over-sized marrows tend to have watery, bitter-tasting flesh. It should be firm and heavy for its size.

  • Because of its bland flavour, vegetable marrow (sometimes called marrow squash ) is often stuffed with a meat mixture.

  • It is available in limited supplies in some speciality produce markets during the summer months.