Oven Poached Quince
A pome fruit in the same family as apples and pears 'Rosaceae' and originating from Western Asia; the quince can tolerate a variety of climates and prefers a slightly heavier, yet acid soil. Finding them available at markets can prove difficult, so we recommend bartering with a friend who has a tree. We've also spotted wild trees growing at the bottom of embankments along rural roads.
This recipe highlights the distinct fragrance of quince and native Australian botanicals mirroring classic West Asian spices. Don't feel obligated to follow this recipe to a tee, but use it more as a guide. Measurements & ingredients can be changed according to what you have in your pantry.
Ingredients:
- 6 quinces
- 4.5 cups water
- 1.5 cups Botanical Brew infused honey (Strawberry Gum)
- 1 cup unrefined raw sugar
- 1/2 cup Botanical Brew shrub (Rose Geranium & Raspberry)
- Juice & peel of 1 lemon
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- Additional spices optional: aniseed myrtle, cinnamon myrtle
Preheat oven to 150 celsius. Combine water, honey, raw sugar, shrub, lemon & split vanilla pod in a saucepan over a low heat and dissolve sugar, creating a syrup. Wash & cut quinces into halves or quarters, and remove cores. Keep cores, wrap and tie into a muslin. Place quince evenly & snug in a deep-dished baking tray with cores. Add syrup to baking tray with quince, covering the fruit half-way. Cover tray and bake in the oven from five to eight hours. Allow to cool in oven and serve alone or with yoghurt (think birchers and mueslis), ice-cream, or custard. Decant quince syrup into a sealed vessel and use as a glaze or in cocktails/mocktails.