ONE of the highlights of the Malvern Autumn Show is always the giant veg displays – especially the enormous pumpkins and the massive marrows.

This year’s stupendous 1,341lbs effort – the largest ever grown in Europe – was a sight to behold.

How they manage to achieve such gargantuan veg is beyond me.

All my efforts look pretty pathetic by comparison but, of course, size isn’t everything.

When you are growing pumpkins for the table rather than the showground, flavour and texture are far more important than size.

The same is true for marrows (of which there were also some truly magnificent examples at the show).

The flavour is generally better with smaller varieties.

You’ll find some delicious pumpkins, squash and marrows on the stalls at your Worcestershire Farmers’ Markets in the next few weeks.

Both these autumnal treats will be offered at the Vicarage Fruit Farm and Styan Family Produce stalls at Bromsgrove Market today, in the High Street, from 9am until 5pm, or in Abbey Road, Malvern, next Saturday, October 18, from 9am until 2pm.

Alongside pumpkins and marrows you can also enjoy buy freshlypicked autumn brassicas, purple sprouting broccoli, calabrese, spring cabbage and leeks.

But what do you do with them once you’ve got them home?

Try this recipe for baked stuffed marrow.

Ingredients 1 medium-sized marrow oil for greasing 1 small onion 200g (7oz) minced beef 100g pork sausage meat or 100g extra minced beef 30g soft white breadcrumbs 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tbsp chopped chives 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce salt and pepper 1 egg 250 ml cheese sauce Method 1 Halve the marrow lengthways and scoop out the seeds.

2 Lay each half side by side, in a well greased, large, shallow casserole.

3 Skin and chop the onion finely or grate it. Put into a basin with the beef, sausage-meat, if used, breadcrumbs, parsley, chives, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning. Mix well.

4 Beat the egg until liquid and use it to bind the mixture.

5 Divide the stuffing between each marrow half.

Cover the dish and bake in a moderate oven, 180°C, Gas 4, for one hour.

6 Strain off most of the liquid in the casserole.

7 Pour the cheese sauce over the marrow and bake for a further 20 minutes, uncovered, or until the sauce is golden-brown.

This will serve a family of four to six people.

● For more information about Worcestershire Farmers’ Markets, log on to wfmg.co.uk.