What to do with... quince paste
Quince, the ‘golden apple’, prized in the ancient world, sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is the ancestor of some of our store-cupboard staples.
Preserving quinces by cooking them with sugar (originally honey) and acid, and the subsequent discovery of the setting properties of pectin, produced the forerunner to the jams, jellies and marmalades we know today.
Portuguese marmelada (giving us the name marmalade), Spanish membrillo and French cotignac are all forms of quince paste. Wonderfully fragrant when raw, cooked quince develops a delicious, delicate flavour and attractive pink colour.
Quince paste is a firm, sometimes coarse gel that holds its shape and can be sliced. Available from local producers as well as imported, its affinity with cheese makes it a popular addition to a cheese board, but quince paste has many other uses.
Savoury ideas
Manchego con membrillo is commonplace in the tapas bars of Spain, but many cheeses other than Manchego work well with quince paste. Try it with shavings of parmesan, soft white cheeses, goat and sheep milk cheeses, feta and creamy blue cheeses.
Quince aïoli from the Moro cookbook is the perfect accompaniment to lamb or pork. In a food processor, blend 250g of quince paste with 1 crushed garlic clove. Slowly drizzle in 75mls of olive oil and 75mls canola or sunflower oil while still blending. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice to taste.
n Quince paste adds a subtle, fruity sweetness to sauces and gravies. Add about 1 tablespoon at a time and let it melt in, then taste before adding more; you don’t want it to overpower, but rather enhance the sauce.
Gently melt quince paste in a saucepan with a tablespoon of boiling water until soft and add to marinades for your next barbecue, or brush over meats for a fruity glaze.
For a tasty canapé, try filo tarts with feta, quince paste and preserved lemon. Butter 4 sheets of filo pastry and layer on top of each other. Cut into 12 even squares. Line a 12-hole mini-muffin pan with the squares. In a bowl combine 100g finely chopped quince paste, 100g finely chopped goat’s feta, and the rinsed, finely chopped rind of half a preserved lemon. Fill filo cases with the mix and bake at 180ºC for 10 minutes.
Sweet ideas
To make unusual after-dinner treats, cut quince paste into 1cm-cubes, dip into melted chocolate and set on a piece of baking paper. Alternatively, combine half a teaspoon of cinnamon with ¼ cup of sugar and roll the quince cubes in the mixture to coat.
To make little gem biscuits, press a cube of quince paste into the centre of your favourite plain, nut, spice or lemon-flavoured cookies before baking.
n For an easy dessert, combine chopped quince paste with equal quantities of marzipan and stuff the centre of halves of peaches, nectarines or apricots. Cook under a preheated grill and serve with vanilla ice-cream.
To make quince and apple tarts, use your favourite apple tart recipe but spread the pastry with quince paste before adding the apple. Serve with the following quince cream.
Quince cream: Place 2 tablespoons of quince paste in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of sherry or green ginger wine and stir over low heat until smooth. Cool. Add quince mixture to 200mls of cream and whisk until soft peaks form. Quince cream is perfect with fruit desserts or cakes.
Quince Cup Cakes
Preheat oven to 180C. Cream 125g unsalted butter and ½ cup caster sugar. Beat in 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and the zest of 1 lemon. Fold in 1¼ cups of sieved flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 2 tablespoons milk. Divide half the mixture among 12 paper cases placed in patty tins. Top with a 1cm-square of quince paste and cover with more cake mixture. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool then ice with 1 tablespoon of quince paste melted with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice and beaten into ½ cup of icing sugar.
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