Vegetable Marrow

Vegetable Marrow is a little known, under-used squash. We're giving it it's own place because there is some discussion as to whether it is a summer or winter squash. We personally use it like a winter squash and do not eat the skin. Apparently, if taken very young, it can be used like a zucchini. It is a tradition in my family to grow White Vegetable Marrow and use it as an entree, stuffed with a pork sausage stuffing the same stuffing my family uses in a turkey). It is such a thing in my family that I have had to ship it by Greyhound to my sisters in Alberta, when they were unable to find it there. We have made a small amount of people very, very happy at the Farmers' Market by having it for sale. The vast majority of the population, however, have never seen it or heard of it. We have always grown the White Vegetable Marrow, but after having a few requests, this year we have also grown the Long Green Trailing Marrow. We located the seeds from a British source and had them mailed over to us.

We have not yet eaten a Long Green Trailing, but White Vegetable Marrow is a very mild squash with pale green flesh. It has a texture somewhat like a melon. On its' own, steamed or baked, it is rather bland. However, it takes on flavours beautifully, and is delightful stuffed. You can use any mixture that you might use to stuff a tomato or pepper: ground beef, pork sausage, vegetable mixtures, herbs of almost any kind enhance a Marrow. Our common practice is to cut the Marrow in two, scoop out the seed cavity (which can be chopped up and added to the stuffing), fill the cavity with your stuffing mixture, put it back together or cover both halves with tin foil and bake until tender and easily pierced with a fork.