Roast quince
THE hard, tart quince, with its mild apple-pear flavor, is one of those fruits that definitely needs help in reaching its full potential. It’s just not much good without some cooking. There are the familiar jellies, jams and preserves, of course. But there’s a lot more too.
For a very simple dessert that really does show the fruit at its best, bake quince whole until they are fork tender. This will take about an hour depending on the size of the fruit (be sure to turn them during the baking to prevent burned spots). Let the quince cool until they’re easy to handle and cut them into quarters.
Even after mellowing in the oven, the quince will still be tart, so I like to drizzle a little butter then sprinkle sugar over the top before popping them under the broiler until they get a little char around the edges. Then the nutmeg. It’s amazing how a sprinkling of freshly ground nutmeg brings out the flavor. I like to finish it with drizzle of creme anglaise. Served warm, this makes a heavenly wintertime dessert. (Even easier, skip the creme anglaise and just serve it with good vanilla ice cream.)
The combination of dried cherries and quince is irresistible in our quick strudel. It’s a good idea to start with fresh filo dough: The frozen sheets can stick together and tear easily. Keep opened filo dough sheets covered with plastic wrap and a towel until you’re ready to use them. If left uncovered they tend to dry out quickly, making the dough crack and hard to handle.
Quince also works well in savory dishes, adding a nice accent to meat (try dropping cubes into a stew sometime). It’s especially good in a sauce with veal. Start with beef broth, homemade or canned. And finishing it with a swirl of butter at the end adds richness, sheen and a bit of thickening.
When selecting quince choose large, firm yellow fruit without blemishes or bruises. Keep them at room temperature to ripen, and enjoy a dividend: Quince are also a wonderfully aromatic fruit.
Combine the half-and-half and whipping cream in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. With the tip of a knife, scrape the tiny seeds along the inside of the vanilla bean into the cream. Add the pod halves. Whisk a few times and heat to a simmer. Turn off heat and let stand 10 minutes to steep before removing the pod.
Combine the sugar and cornstarch and whisk into the cream. Heat to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer 1 minute. Quickly whisk the egg yolks into the cream mixture, then remove the mixture from the heat and strain. Cover and let the creme anglaise stand while preparing the quince.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the quince in a small pan. Bake until tender, 1 hour, turning the quince during roasting to prevent any burned spots. Remove from the oven, cut into quarters and remove the seeds.
Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Place the quince on a shallow tray or baking pan, drizzle with the butter, then sprinkle with the sugar. Broil until the sugar melts and the wedges begin to brown around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top. Arrange 4 pieces of quince on each plate. Garnish with more grated nutmeg and drizzle with the creme anglaise.
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