For this year’s 12 Days of Hipcooks, we’re featuring the beautiful QUINCE in a bounty of recipes. Quinces have to be cooked to enjoy, so get poaching, Quincy Jones!
Use a u-shaped peeler to peel the fruit. With a sturdy knife, cut the quinces in half. Depending on the recipe you’re making, you may cut the quince halves into segments, removing the rough core. Some recipes will use the entire quince half, core and all. (Since I’m making ALL the recipes with these quinces, I’ll cut and core some, and leave the others.)
Flavor the poaching liquid with lemon, spices and sugar. It’s worth it to give your love and attention to this — the quinces will thank you with beautiful flavor. Also, some of the recipes ask, once the quinces are poached and removed from the poaching liquid, that you reduce it down to a gorgeous syrup.
Bring the quinces to a boil, reduce to a simmer and poach away. The room will smell fantastic in short order. The holidays are here! Take big breaths, deeply. Inhale through the nose and out through your mouth. You’re gonna make it through this one, and it will be awesome.
Your quinces are done when they’re tender (a knife will slide easily through.) They’ll have turned a wonderful orange color.
When they’re cool, store the quince, immersed in all the fabulous poaching liquid, in a covered container in the fridge. They can be stored this way for upwards of 10 days.
When they're cool, store the quinces, immersed in all the fabulous poaching liquid, in a covered container in the fridge. They can be stored this way for upwards of 10 days.
Ingredients
4 quince, peeled, cored and sliced
2 cups sugar
2 lemons
4 cinnamon sticks
a scattering of cloves
a small handful of lightly crushed cardamom pods
a few star anise
a vanilla pod, split lengthwise and teased open with the tip of a paring knife.Instructions
Add 2 cups of water to a large pot. Add the sugar and the quinces, and set the heat to high. While the water comes to a boil, add the juice of 2 lemons, and then throw in the lemon halves. Add all the spices and give a gentle stir.
Once the water boils, reduce the heat to a simmer and poach away.
The qquinces are done when they have turned a wonderful orange, and are tender.
