THIS MONTH I’M LOVING… QUINCE
November brings an undeniable shift in season. The vague prospect of an Indian summer is over and we begin the inevitable slide into winter. One of November’s consolations is the appearance of the quince. As soon as the clocks go back and we’re packing away the Halloween decorations, they start cropping up in farmers’ markets and greengrocers. There are quince trees all over the UK (they love damp soil) but, sadly, the fruit goes largely unused.
These knobbly, bulbous, yellowish fruit lie somewhere between an apple and a pear in flavour and texture. However, quince’s tartness when raw, and floral, honeyed scent when cooked, set it apart from its more common counterparts. It’s high in tannins, which renders it virtually inedible raw and they can be tricky to peel and core so proceed with caution and the sharpest knife you own!
Quince jelly and membrillo (dense, pressed quince paste) are its most common uses. I’m all for giving everything a go, but my experience of trying to make these myself was disastrous, so I now simply buy them to serve with cheese and cold meats. Poaching is my preferred cooking method, although they’re worth roasting too. They like to take their time and need anything from 40 minutes to two hours to fully cook. Peel, core, slice and gently poach in water with a few tablespoons of caster sugar. They love rich, sugary alcohol and I wholeheartedly encourage adding a couple of glasses of muscadet or sweet sherry to the cooking liquid along with star anise, cinnamon or orange peel.
Serve with anything from double cream or yogurt to rice pudding and roast meats. Whatever you do, make sure you reserve the cooking liquid and reduce to a syrup. It makes the most glorious glaze for pork ribs, gammon or a sticky roast chicken.
You can use quince in place of apples or pears in most baking recipes. Try them in a crumble, pie, tarte tatin or spiced loaf cake. Just be aware that they’ll probably require at least part-cooking before using and you’ll need to add a few more tablespoons of sugar to counteract their tartness. Follow Giovanna on Instagram @giovannaryan