The creamy vegetable marrow stew is best paired with the obligatory bunch of finely chopped dill, they are really well matched. Nearly always served with a splash or two of vinegar that nicely balances out the sourcream, making it into a refreshing summer dish. Served here with a paprika meat stew, pörkölt, it’s also nice with slices of roast meats or with one or two of Hungarian meat patty, fasirozott.

Pick a nice tender marrow, need to peel the outer tough skin, a potato peeler is perfect for this. Cut the marrow in half and with a spoon scoop out the soft middle bit with the seeds, won’t need these. Grate the cleaned flesh of he marrow on a coarse cheese grater, more traditionally a vegetable mandolin that would cut the marrow into long strips a bit like a thick spaghetti.

Ingredients

• 750g grated marrow
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 500 ml vegetable stock or water
• 1 tsp 10% vinegar (white wine vinegar, apple vinegar)
• 1 bunch of dill
• salt, pepper
• 1 tsp paprika powder – optional
• 1 tbsp flour
• 100 ml cream or sour cream (15-20% fat content)

Method

1. Rinse the grated marrow and squeeze out the liquid
2. Cook the finely chopped onion on a little oil
3. Add the marrow, salt, stir thoroughly then the chopped dill can go in (retain a bit of dill for serving).
4. Cover with the water in, put the lid on and cook on a moderate heat until tender.
5. Combine the cream with the flour evenly, laddle in a bit from the hot liquid, stir and our into the boiling marrow stew
6. Add the splash or two of vinegar to taste