Radicchio Salad with Poached Quince
Rebekah Peppler

Serves
6Ingredients
VINAIGRETTE | |
2 shallots, thinly sliced | |
¼ cup (60ml) sherry vinegar | |
fine sea salt | |
freshly ground black pepper | |
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard | |
2 teaspoons quince poaching liquid (recipe follows) or honey | |
½ cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil | |
SALAD | |
1 large head Castelfranco or pink radicchio, trimmed and leaves separated, larger leaves roughly torn | |
2 small or 1 large head red radicchio, trimmed and leaves separated, larger leaves roughly torn | |
6 poached quince quarters, cored and thinly sliced (recipe follows) | |
1 cup (120g) walnuts, toasted | |
flaky sea salt | |
freshly ground black pepper | |
POACHED QUINCE makes 910g | |
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar | |
910g quince (about 4 to 5 medium-sized fruit) |
POACHED QUINCE NOTE:
In Provence, you’ll most often find quince in the form of pâte de coing – firm, sticky-sweet quince paste. When good, it is undeniably special as an addition to a cheese plate or an afternoon snack. While you can make it yourself at home, I prefer to allow others to do that particular work. Instead, when I come across the fuzzy, yellow, wonky-shaped fruits that are hard and astringent and basically impossible when raw, I poach them. It’s a simple way to transform their deceptively fragrant yet inedible allure into something that works beautifully with cheese but also in your salads, next to roast meats, on top of yoghurt or ice cream, and on and on.
View the recipe collection here
Instructions
1. | VINAIGRETTE |
2. | In a resealable jar, add the shallots and vinegar. Season with fine sea salt and pepper, stir to combine and let sit for at least 15 minutes. |
3. | Add the mustard and poaching liquid, then pour in the oil, cover the jar tightly with a lid, and shake to emulsify. Season with fine sea salt and pepper. |
4. | The vinaigrette will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. |
5. | SALAD |
6. | Layer the radicchio leaves and poached quince in a serving bowl. |
7. | Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and finish with the walnuts. |
8. | Season with flaky sea salt and pepper. |
9. | POACHED QUINCE |
10. | In a medium saucepan, combine 960ml of water with the sugar. |
11. | Place the pan over medium heat and bring just to a simmer. |
12. | Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring gently, just until the sugar dissolves. |
13. | Turn off the heat and peel and quarter each quince one by one, reserving the peels and cutting out and discarding any brown spots on the flesh. |
14. | Once each quince is peeled and quartered, immediately add it to the sugar syrup before starting on the next. |
15. | Gather the reserved peels into a cheesecloth, tie the ends together to seal it into a package, and add to the pan. |
16. | Cut a piece of parchment paper into a circle that just fits inside the saucepan. |
17. | Turn on the heat again to medium and return the mixture to a simmer. |
18. | Set the parchment circle on top (it should be touching the surface) and adjust the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. |
19. | Cook until the quince pieces are tender and rose pink in colour, 1½ to 2 hours. |
20. | Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool completely. |
21. | Store the quince in their poaching liquid in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. |
Excerpted from Le
Sud: Recipes from
Provence-Alpes-Côte
d’Azur by Rebekah
Peppler © 2024.
Published by Chronicle
Books. Photographs
© Joann Pai.