Vegetable marrow is a kind of summer squash, it’s typically larger and longer than zucchini, with smooth, thin peel that can range in color from light beige to deep green. Vegetable marrow is low in calories with no fat or cholesterol; it provides significant amounts of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium. In Hungary vegetable marrow is usually served as a soup or a stew, but it can be also stuffed with filling and baked as a main dish. Vegetable marrow stew (tökfőzelék in Hungarian) is often served with pork ragout, but if you find it too weird, it can be a great sidedish for roasts or pork patties.

In Hungary vegetable marrow is not only available during summer, but all year round thanks to deep-freezing. Frozen vegetable marrow is shredded and contains chopped dill or dill sprigs. If you buy fresh vegetable marrow, peel it using a potato peeler, then cut in half and with a spoon discard the spongy middle with the seeds, you won’t need these. You can grate it by hand using the coarse side of a cheese grater or in the food processor.