Red wine-poached quince
Yield: 4 servings
With its dense flesh and mellow fruity personality, quince takes well to slow simmering in flavorful liquids such as a dry red wine or pomegranate juice. Lightly sweetened and accented with some aromatic spices such as cinnamon or star anise, the fruit becomes even more complex in flavor. It’s now time to check out your local farmer’s market or specialty produce aisle in the supermarket to source these fall beauties but don’t plan on eating them out of hand uncooked. (if unavailable in your area, you may order online from www.melissas.com).
Rarely eaten raw, quince is a more than willing player in long-braised Mediterranean- or North African-inspired meat braises and stews featuring lamb, pork, chicken or even dark meat turkey. In these applications, the fruit lends a complex fruitiness and something unexpected to an otherwise savory dish, bringing the flavors of the dish into sharper focus. The procedure is simple. First brown the meat in fruity olive oil, add a generous amount of chopped onions, a bay leaf or two and some cooking liquid such as a flavorful root vegetable-based stock or wine or a combination of the two. Then it’s time to add peeled and cored chunks of quince. Cover the cooking vessel and either cook on the stove top on low heat or place in a 325 degree F. oven until the meat is tender (depending on which protein you are using, the cooking time will vary).
For something simpler, cook cored and peeled fruit in a mixture of red wine, sugar and aromatics until tender. And you’re ready to round out a cheese plate consisting of Spanish sheep’s milk cheeses such as the widely available Manchego and the equally delicious though less ubiquitous Roncal, Castellano and Zamorano. A coarse grinding of fresh black pepper adds the final zing to the ensemble. And a nice red wine such as Beaujolais or Pinot Noir would pair beautifully with all of this.
Red Wine-Poached Quince
2 c. dry red wine
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
Peel of one medium-sized lemon
2 medium sized fresh quince, peeled, cored and quartered (gross weight about 8 ounces for each fruit)
Optional garnishes:
Thick Greek style plain yogurt
Your favorite mild honey such as orange blossom or sage
Black pepper, freshly ground over the fruit, if desired
Place the wine, sugar and aromatics in a heavy saucepan. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the quince and cook over low heat until tender. Once the point of a knife easily pierces the fruit, remove the pot from the heat. (This can take up to 30 minutes or so). Allow to cool and using a slotted spoon, then carefully remove the fruit to a heatproof container with a tight fitting lid. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and lemon peel from the cooking liquid and then place the saucepan back onto the heat and cook until the liquid begins to thicken slightly. Allow to cool and then pour the liquid over the quince. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Refrigerated, the poached fruit will keep for about one week. When ready to serve, remove the fruit from the syrup and serve as an accompaniment to the cheeses of your choice. Be sure to include some toasted artisanal bread and crackers. Or, as a simple rustic dessert, serve the fruit with a dollop of thickened plain yogurt drizzled with a bit of honey and topped with a coarse grinding of black pepper.
