Ingredients

Method

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon peel strip
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 1 kg medium baby marrows
• Maldon salt, to taste
• 1 t Dijon mustard
• 1 sheet Woolworths all-butter puff pastry

Method

Ingredients

1. Gently heat the olive oil, garlic, lemon peel and herbs in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, allow to cool and infuse for at least 6 hours – overnight is better. Strain the oil and keep all the flavouring for the next step.

2. Keep 4 or 5 baby marrows whole, and chop the remaining ones into 2 cm dice and season with salt. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.

3. Wash and dry the marrows, then mix with the garlic, lemon and herbs from the oil. Wrap in foil and bake at 170°C for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, then blend with the Dijon mustard and 1 T of the infused oil to form a paste the consistency of mayonnaise. If it’s a little thin, gently heat in a pan until the correct consistency is reached. Season with salt and lemon juice to adjust any bitterness.

4. Roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of 5 mm and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut out a rectangle of 12 x 20 cm and prick liberally using a fork. Place the pastry between two heavy baking trays and bake at 200°C until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool.

5. Once cooled, spread the baby marrow “caviar” over the pastry, then gently lay the finely sliced baby marrow in tight rows on top. Bake for a further 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes to firm. Slice using a very sharp knife before serving.

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Photography: Clinton Friedman
Production: Abigail Donnelly