Using quince paste/membrillo: beyond manchego

[marvelous_marvin]

Can anyone suggest some recipes using quince paste aka membrillo, besides serving it as a condiment for Manchego cheese? What else can I do with it? I love Manchego but I'd like to use this stuff for something else.

[Smithy]

I assume you've already considered eating it straight on crackers, or dipping it with a spoon. I've done that when I was out of Manchego.

I haven't tried this myself yet, but I'm wondering about using fruit paste to flavor a sauce (say, a roasted chicken sauce) or thinning it with enough liquid to use it as a glaze on meat (say, a roasting chicken) or stuffing it under the skin of a chicken prior to roasting. Quince and lamb is a good combination, too.

It's an idea.

If like to bake, you could also consider using membrillo as the filling for a sweet cookie or pastry. Think of fig bars, but with quince paste instead.

[insomniac]

well. MM, I cooked a treeload of quinces again this year and while not quite membrillo (almost but in syrup)we eat them with roast pork/duck/pheasant/goose etc as a perfect counterfoil for the gamey flavour of the meat, also chop them in salads with walnuts and blue cheese or goats cheese ( in fact with any cheese) and also a delight with foie gras in its many variations...I love quinces...alas, we finished them tonight...but the syrup remains...

Edited January 4, 2008 by insomniac (log)

[andiesenji]

I mentioned in another thread about my adventures with a batch of quince jam that turned out far too sweet and while I could have used it in baking and cooking, I wanted something that could be more versatile and would taste good on its own.

Knowing how good "burnt fig" jam is when served with just about any kind of cheese or yogurt, I considered treating the quince jam thusly, but then had a brainstorm and brewed up some super-strength Lapsang Souchong tea, which I stirred into an equal amount of the jam until well blended.

I then reduced it over low heat until it was fairly thick but not solidly jelled.

I tried it with a very "assertive" cheese and it was delicious.

I repeated the process with the remainder of the jam, jarred it and processed it as I would any other preserves.

Since then I have served it with cheddar, brick, mozzarella (the kind with the cream center) and a couple of others, even stirred into some cheese type yogurt (from Trader Joe's).

I sent a jar to my daughter who also found it to be a terrific combination of flavors, she didn't even bother to pair it with cheese, simply spread it on toast.

[Abra]

You can use it in a lovely salad dressing. Blend

1/4 cup quince paste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with arugula or mache. I like to save little cubes of the membrillo to garnish the salad as well.

[markemorse]

I've melted it and used it as part of a dressing for a sweet and sour chickpea salad, that worked out great...

[jackal10]

Cut into cubes, about 1cm a side, and roll in sugar like Pate de Fruit

These are old fashioned "Quince Comfits"

[markemorse]

You can use it in a lovely salad dressing.  Blend

1/4 cup quince paste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with arugula or mache.  I like to save little cubes of the membrillo to garnish the salad as well.

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And this sounds amazing. Ever put a tsp of mustard in there?