Pickled quince with cime di rapa and bottarga

Serves 4 – 2 lemons

– 4 quinces

– 400ml white floral wine, such as riesling – 200g raw sugar

– 1 stick cinnamon

– 6 bay leaves (preferably fresh)

– 6 black peppercorns

– 200ml white wine vinegar

To serve: – 2 bunches of young cime di rapa

– 1 lobe of bottarga, preferably Pilu Bottarga di Muggine – 1 shallot (peeled)

– 120ml olive oil Prepare a bowl or bucket containing two litres of water and two lemons cut in half. Peel the quinces as you would an apple, then cut them into quarters lengthways, remove the core and place in the lemon water. Put the wine into a pot and burn off the alcohol by boiling briefly before adding the sugar and the spices. Place the quinces in the pot, cover with greaseproof paper and cook over a very gentle heat for 10 minutes or until the quinces just cook through. Add the vinegar and then bring it all back to the boil. Spoon the quinces into sterilised pickling jars, then pour in the liquid and secure the lid before steaming the entire vessel for about three minutes. Allow the jars to cool on the bench before storing at between 4ºC and 12ºC. These pickled quinces, if prepared correctly, will keep for months in those conditions. To serve: slice one quarter of quince per person and place it on the base of a plate. Slice two thirds of the bottarga thinly and reserve. Blend the rest of the bottarga with 100 millilitres of the pickling liquid, the raw shallot and the olive oil using a handheld blender. Place a cast-iron pan over a high heat then grease the pan with oil. Place a single layer of the cime di rapa in the pan, then cook untouched for about two minutes. The leaves should begin to toast lightly. Turn the leaves, then remove from the pan. Repeat the process until all of the leaves have a nice toast on them. Season lightly then dress in some of the quince and bottarga dressing. Spread the quince on top and then scatter over the bottarga. This salad serves well as lunchtime starter or tossed together as a main course accompaniment.