Have been on a lookout for mouth-watering quinces recipes recently? Well, you have arrived at the right place then. For, here are some fabulous recipes in the offing that involve the remarkable fruit.
It should not be difficult to guess why there are so many references to these “golden apples”, given as gifts to gods, kings and queens. Venus is often depicted with one in her hand. But the aura of quinces does not restrict itself at that. Quinces are extremely versatile in the kitchen as well and that is the best part of the story. Whether baked or jazzed up with spice or combined with lamb, quinces do promise to render some dishes one would die to savour. Here are some of them! If you want to know more about the fruit and quince recipes, you can find them here.
Baked quinces:
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups sugar
8 cups water
6 star anise
2 cinnamon quills
peel of 1 orange
2 vanilla beans, split in half
1 tsp cloves
6 quinces
METHOD:
1.Mix the sugar and water with the spices and orange zest, bring to the boil and stir. Turn off the heat when the sugar is dissolved. Heat the oven to 160C.
2.Peel, cut into four pieces and core the quinces. Do not throw away the skins and cores. Set the quartered quinces in a deep ovenproof dish and pour over the sugar syrup. If you have a muslin cloth, lay it over the quinces and scatter over the peel and cores to save picking them out when cooked and cooled.
3.Cover with baking paper, then a sheet of foil, tucked in at the sides. Cook 4-5 hours or until the quinces are roseate.
4.Cool in the syrup and place the quince quarters in jars without the skins and cores. Cover with the strained liquid. They will keep in the fridge for weeks.
Quince frangipane tart:
INGREDIENTS:
(To make a 28cm tart)
1 large or 1 1/2 baked quinces
1 quantity frangipane (see below)
Tart pastry (pate sucree)
(Best made in a cool room with cool hands and bowls.)
200g unsalted butter, cold
240g plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
30g icing sugar
25ml iced water
METHOD:
1.Pre-heat oven to 185C.
2.Combine the butter, flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse briefly until the mixture takes the shape of rough crumbs.
3.Tip out onto a working surface. Whisk the yolk and water until combined and sprinkle over the flour.
4.By using your palms, push down and smear forwards, gathering the mixture back. Repeat the process five or so times until the butter and flour are just combined to form one mass.
5.Gently bring together and knead into a ball. Do not worry about bits of butter that have not entirely combined; the dough should looked marbled. Refrigerate for half an hour.
6.Roll out the dough with a little flour to a thickness of about half a centimetre. Line a greased tart tin with the dough, trim the edges and push the sides neatly into the rims. Line with enough foil to tuck over the sides. Freeze for 20 minutes.
7.Fill the shell with dried beans or baking weights and bake for 15 minutes or until just set. Remove weights, reduce temperature to 175C and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Frangipane:
INGREDIENTS:
200g whole almonds
200g butter, soft
50g plain flour
200g castor sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
METHOD:
1.In a food processor, finely grind the almonds. Add the butter, flour, sugar and zest and whip until the mixture becomes a little fluffy. Add the eggs singly until well mixed.
2.Spread the frangipane over the tart and cut the quince quarters into thirds and poke into the mixture.
3.Bake for 30 minutes, or until it turns golden brown and is just set.
4.Allow to cool. If desired, dust with icing sugar.
Lamb with cinnamon, cardamom and quince:
INGREDIENTS:
1 leg of lamb trimmed of fat
50g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp allspice
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp ground cumin
10 cardamom pods, crushed
1 onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
salt and pepper
peel of of an orange
2 cups water or chicken stock
2 quinces cooked until soft and ruby red with 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, juice of
1 lemon and 1 tsp cardamom pods.
METHOD:
1.Cut lamb into small cubes of about 3cm. Gently cook the onions and garlic in oil and butter in a large, heavy-based pot until they turn soft and golden.
2.Turn up the heat, add the lamb and cook for 10-15 minutes, seasoning well, until the liquid has mostly reduced.
3.Add the spices and orange zest. Cook for a few minutes.
4.Add just enough water or chicken stock to cover the lamb. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, until the lamb is soft (about 45 minutes).
5.Add the quinces and allow to cool slightly. Serve with a rice pilaf.
Image Credit: magma
