Quince is not a common fruit and can only be eaten cooked but the efforts are well worth it, producing a unique flavour.
It is not often you come across a quince tree, but when you do it's a glorious sight with its plump knobbly pear-like fruit.
I had tasted the paste long before I had ever seen the fruit but, with a little resourcefulness, the ancient and exotic quince can easily be found. Fascinatingly, the cooked fruit bears no resemblance to the raw.
To create the paste, the fruit is reduced slowly. The result is a delicious flavour and grainy texture which pairs well with a variety of cheeses including goat, blue, manchego or an aged cheddar. I have used the Spanish manchego today because it has a slight caramel flavour, which I think suits the flavour of the quince perfectly.
Be prepared - this is no flash-in-the pan midweek meal to throw together at the end of a busy day. Save it for the weekend when you can have time to enjoy the fruit slowly bubbling away while filling the house with their very distinctive and gorgeous scent. Quinces do need to be cooked for quite some time to ensure the high level of pectin breaks down and the hard pale flesh transforms into a rich, red and succulent delight.
Though the fruit is great made into a paste and served with cheese, quince also bakes well. Today I have paired it with rhubarb, a little butter and brown sugar, orange, a splash of rum and a generous grating of fresh ginger. Serve with a spoonful of mascarpone or softly whipped cream.
Quince is also often used in savoury recipes with a Middle Eastern feel and is traditionally paired with lamb, pork and flavours like cumin, coriander and ginger. To top off a delicious meal add some green vegetables and a garlic yoghurt sauce, and rice or couscous.
Chef's tip
Quinces are picked with a pale down covering the skin. Gently rub this off before cutting the fruit. Also be aware of how hard the fruit is and take care when cutting.
