Quinces

[John DePaula]

John, what is quince paste made of? I don't know the texture etc. of your pulp, but if you strained and added pectin? Wow, homemade membrillo would be an awsome christmas gift...especially paired with a good manchego. Or a more curd like substance..for tarts? What a great day to play in the kitchen (rain..lots and lots of it), I wish I could get my hands on some, I'd love to experiment.

Mmmm... love membrillo. I checked online and no extra pectin is needed.

[John DePaula]

Several additional ideas may be found here: http://bbq.about.com/rsrch.htm?zIsPG=gSrch&zIsT=Barbecues%20&%20Grilling&zIsD=bbq&terms=Quince

In the topic mentioned by mkayahara I posted about my experience with making a batch of quince jam that turned out way too sweet - and my solution.

I was recently gifted with a basket of quince and decided to prepare quince jam.

The process itself went fairly well, however the jam turned out much too sweet, in fact, it was what my grandma called "tooth-achingly" sweet.

To make it palatable, something had to be done and I decided to try an experiment with a portion of the batch.

I brewed a pot of quadruple-strength lapsang souchong tea and added it to the jam, stirring while it was incorporated, then allowing it to gently simmer as the liquid reduced.

It is not yet finished but I am allowing it to cool so that I can taste it but so far the flavor is more than I expected and the sweetness has been tamed and the slight smokiness complements the quince flavor.

I am anticipating this being an excellent jam to pair with cheese.

The results turned out so well that I have since prepared the "smoked" version and people (especially my daughter and her family) love it. I am planning on preparing a batch for canning to include in my holiday gift baskets.

I have also used the same process with fig jam and that too has been a hit. I canned 21 half-pints of smoky fig jam - made with brown turkey figs - last month.

That's a fantastic idea! I love the smokiness of Lapsang souchong so this goes to the top of my "to try" list. Thanks.

[Kerry Beal]

Wonder if you could make quince leather with the pulp.

[andiesenji]

Wonder if you could make quince leather with the pulp.

I don't see why not. When I have cooked the pulp in my big preserving pan, there is always a "rime" of stuff that is exactly like leather and which peels off easily.

I make fruit leathers in my Excalibur dehydrators but have never tried it with quince - I did try it with some fig jam a few weeks ago and it turned out okay.

I often have more in a batch than I have jars prepared so just pour the extra on one of the sheets that fit the dehydrator racks rather than put it in the fridge.

[mkayahara]

Wonder if you could make quince leather with the pulp.

If there's still quince available at the farmers' market tomorrow, I'm so trying this!

[Lisa Shock]

I wonder what the pup would be like if used in a rustic cake like applesauce cake or zucchini 'bread'?

[andiesenji]

I wonder what the pup would be like if used in a rustic cake like applesauce cake or zucchini 'bread'?

Here's a recipe I "collected" a couple of years ago, specifically for using up the quince pulp left over from making jam.

http://www.abc.net.au/tasmania/stories/s1362914.htm

I've eaten stews served by an Armenian family that included quince pulp in with the meat. As I recall it was lamb.

I have a vague recollection of a Portuguese cake made with quince and I think it was using the pulp.

You might try asking David Leite if he knows of a recipe.

http://leitesculinaria.com/

If anyone would know, it would be him.

[John DePaula]

Wonder if you could make quince leather with the pulp.

I think quince leather would work well.

[John DePaula]

I wonder what the pup would be like if used in a rustic cake like applesauce cake or zucchini 'bread'?

Here's a recipe I "collected" a couple of years ago, specifically for using up the quince pulp left over from making jam.

http://www.abc.net.au/tasmania/stories/s1362914.htm

I have not similarly "collected" this one. Sounds good.

[John DePaula]

I wonder what the pup would be like if used in a rustic cake like applesauce cake or zucchini 'bread'?

Here's a recipe I "collected" a couple of years ago, specifically for using up the quince pulp left over from making jam.

http://www.abc.net.au/tasmania/stories/s1362914.htm

I have not similarly "collected" this one. Sounds good.

"I have *now* similarly collected this one," is what I meant to say.

[John DePaula]

This morning, pancakes with very very thinly sliced quince, a dash of cinnamon and allspice, cooked slowly, served with butter and quince syrup. Beautiful!

[lapin d'or]

I have been wanting to try mincemeat with quince for some time. I now have some quinces on order and hope to make this next week if all goes well. It should have time to mature a little before the xmas mince pies are needed.

Recipe from Nigella Lawson below

Quincemeat

[andiesenji]

I came across this recipe yesterday, while selecting some things to try in my new Thermomix and since I had some lovely quince, I decided to try it this morning.

http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/quince-curd/

It was so delicious that I plan to prepare it again - the batch I made was consumed at brunch by myself and two guests.

Although I used the TMX or "Bimby" the basic recipe is conventional and while it may take longer, it is not terribly labor intensive.

[John DePaula]

I came across this recipe yesterday, while selecting some things to try in my new Thermomix and since I had some lovely quince, I decided to try it this morning.

http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/quince-curd/

It was so delicious that I plan to prepare it again - the batch I made was consumed at brunch by myself and two guests.

Although I used the TMX or "Bimby" the basic recipe is conventional and while it may take longer, it is not terribly labor intensive.

Ooooo, I like the look of that. Love a good curd and this one's definitely going into my collection. Thanks!

[Mjx]

I was just given a whole basket of quinces. Most are the the small Japanese type, but there are also two larger 'pear' type ones, and I'm wondering whether they have any flavour nuances that would tend to be lost in steaming and pureeing to make a paste. They're quite lovely, I feel like they deserve special treatment:

 

 

Has anyone candied these/sections of them, or do they tend to fall apart?

[Franci]

I never candied them but I think for longer steaming it would be better to have under ripe quinces and those look quite ripe to me. 

 

With so small quinces, I would make a tatin, like J. McLagan here

I often make a recipe of her with lamb and turnips and quinces with is quite nice, as well. I also enjoyed them very much poached with pomegranate syrup and a yogurt cream. Love the jam, it's used very much in Puglia for stuffing cookies.

[Mjx]

Franci, thanks. The tatin looks so delicious, but I'd end up eating the whole thing, because my boyfriend won't go near anything involving cooked fruit, so... would you tell me a bit about the lamb recipe? Also, have you made any mostarde with quince, that you've particularly liked?

[Franci]

I attempted real mostarda with the mustard essence oil only once in my life and I was quite young and inexperienced cook, I only recall it was not an easy process and I was not completely successful.

I think I followed this recipe, from Fausto Fraccalini on the Cucina italiana forum. I know you don't have any problem with Italian.

 

MOSTARDA MANTOVANA Fausto Fraccalini
Mele cotogne, zucchero, essenza di senape.
Sbucciare le mele cotogne, togliere il torsolo e tagliarle a fettine.
Mescolarle con lo zucchero (1/2 kg. di zucchero per 1 kg. di fettine).
Lasciar riposare il tutto per 12 ore.
Scolare il succo, farlo addensare per un'oretta e riaggiungerlo alla
frutta. Dopo altre 12 ore ripetere l'operazione una seconda volta. Dopo
altre 12 ore, infine, far bollire insieme succo e fettine di frutta per
una decina di minuti. Quando il tutto si è raffreddato aggiungere essenza
di senape nella dose di 13-14 gocce per kg. di conserva e chiudere subito
in vasetti ermetici
NOTA di mele o pere. Sempre e comunque a pasta molto soda, ed anche un po'
acerbe Quanto alla dose di essenza di senape i pareri sono discordi: a me
la mostarda piace molto piccante, quindi arrivo tranquillamente a 20 gocce
per kg., se la si preferisce dolce si può scendere a 9-10 gocce/kg.
Diminuendola ulteriormente si rischia di ottenere un prodotto in cui il
dolce domina troppo sul piccante, togliendole quella che è la sua
caratteristica fondamentale In alternativa, non trovando l'essenza di
senape, si può ricorrere al metodo antico: 50 g. di senape bianca in
polvere, stemperata in poco vino bianco caldo, per kg. di frutta candita.
Ho detto che si utilizzano esclusivamente mele cotogne Questo vorrebbe la
tradizione, in effetti oggi le mele cotogne sono piuttosto rare ed allora
è tollerata la sostituzione con mele campanine o renette od altre varietà.

 

For the lamb instead. I start the night before by soaking a little bit of currants in red wine, more or less depending how sweet you like your meat, we don't like it sweet, so I don't use much. The day after I prepare my spices and seasoning for the meat: in a coffee grinder I grind 1 tablespoon toasted coriander seeds, with 1 teaspoon black pepper grains, 1 tablespoon coarse salt, the seeds of 12 cardamom pods and 2 cloves.  I brown some lamb necks (but you could do any other lamb cuts suitable for long cooking) then put on a plate and adding more fat  to the pan if necessary, I add a big onion, thinly sliced, letting it gently sweat, then add my aromatic salt, some garlic, sizzling everything briefly, put back the meat in with sucs, the currants and soaking wine, scraping the bottom,  add 2 quinces peeled and cut in quarters and a couple turnips, quartered.  Add more red wine, bring to a boil, cover with parchment, lid and it goes in the oven for at least a couple hours. Chopped fresh coriander to serve.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Franci (log)

[Mjx]

Excellent, thanks!

 

Just one question: Any ideal substitute for mustard extract? Because I've been hunting for a dill essential oil, I have a an extensive overview of the ones that are available in Denmark, and tht's not one of them. I could get it online, but since I've got whole mustard and ground mustard (nice and fresh, both), I'd like to find a way of using what I've got.

[Franci]

I think I now recall why I had issues with that recipe! I ended up with not enough liquid. Read these recipes before attempting.

http://www.lacucinaitaliana.it/community/forums/t/29076.aspx

I don't think you will get the same result without the essential oil extract. I know it's very hard to find it outside the Mantova/Cremona areas, but as someone suggested in that link you can buy here. Shipping is unfortunately expensive. But if you get also the dill essence, which they have it's not too bad.

http://www.taliaessenze.com/asp/cerca.asp?submit=cerca

[Kerry Beal]

Excellent, thanks!

 

Just one question: Any ideal substitute for mustard extract? Because I've been hunting for a dill essential oil, I have a an extensive overview of the ones that are available in Denmark, and tht's not one of them. I could get it online, but since I've got whole mustard and ground mustard (nice and fresh, both), I'd like to find a way of using what I've got.

If I read google translate correctly - it seems to be saying that with quince you can use 50 grams of white mustard powder in a bit of warm white wine to 1 kg of fruit to replace the senape. 

 

I am the proud owner of not one, but two bottles of senape.  And still haven't made a moustarda that I love!

[Mjx]

Apparently, I'm going to be getting more of the larger quinces, so I think I'll use the two I have in that lamb recipe, which sounds amazing, and see whether I can overcome growing up in Florence, enough to spring that kind of cash for the essential oil of mustard

[cteavin]

I have 10 kilos of quince. I'd like to preserve them. I read recipes in which they are peeled and packed in honey raw. Honey is too expensive, so i was thinking I could pack them in sugar syrup in a large glass jar. Has anyone here ever preserved quince this way? I'm worried that over time the liquid in raw quince would dilute the syrup and attract mould.  

 

If not, does anyone have another suggestion besides paste? 

[cakewalk]

I was walking through Union Square market yesterday and saw some quinces next to the apples, so I bought some. However, they are small and still lime green. In doing some reading after the fact, it looks like small, lime-greenish quince won't ripen off the tree. I'll try bagging them together with an apple to see what, if anything, happens. Does anyone know anything about quince? Are these useable in any way? Last year I made membrillo, which was lovely. This year I was just planning to make some jelly, but I might have to buy more quince. 

[Mjx]

Whenever I can get my hands on some quince, I use them in pretty much anything one might use cooked apples/pears. I often improvise: I've made a quick tart by rolling out some marzipan and pressing it into a tart pan, then filling it with sweetened pureed or chopped quince, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper.

 

 

Recently, I made a strew that included quince (also salsify, pork, and carrots in every colour but orange), because A. was reminiscing nostalgically about the food he almost remembers  from when he was very small and his parents lived in a sort of hippieish communal residence; he suggested something of that sort for dinner. Since he was about three when they moved away from there, he couldn't offer any practical suggestions for possible ingredients, so I went with the players that loomed large in the recipes from the health-food cookbooks my mother sometimes used when I was a kid:

1) cabbage/beetroot

2) at least one now-obscure vegetable/fruit that hasn't been used much for half a century or more/is a huge nuisance to prep

3) at least one vegetable so covered in dirt that you need a pressure hose to clean it properly, and

4) at least one ingredient that is probably a terrible idea in the sort of dish in question, but...may work out..?

I chose quince to cover the second and fourth elements (boyfriend firmly vetoed cabbage/beetroot), and perhaps surprisingly, it worked really well.

 

 

I also tried to make mostarda mantovana, and messed up really badly: I ended up with something remarkably ugly, and with an awful texture. Can't wait to try this one again!