Best Poached Quince Recipes

HONEY-POACHED QUINCE PIE

Steps:

• Combine the sliced quince, honey, water, and a pinch of salt in a pan (you should have about nine cups of sliced fruit). Cover the pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low. Simmer, covered, until the fruit is tender, about 8 minutes, stirring carefully once or twice to avoid breaking the fruit.
• Put a strainer over a saucepan and pour the cooked quince into a strainer, reserving the cooking liquid. Set the quince aside to cool.
• Roll out the pastry and line a 9 inch pie plate. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare the filling.
• Combine the white sugar, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and flour in a small bowl and mix well. Add the sugar mixture and the butter to the reserved quince cooking liquid and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool.
• Place a sheet pan on the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Pour the cooled quince into the pastry-lined pan and cover with the sauce. Add the top crust, crimping the edge to seal. Cut vents or prick the crust with a fork to allow steam to escape.
• Put the pie on the preheated sheet pan and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Bake until the edges of the crust are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is brown, about 45 minutes more. Cool on a rack at least two hours before serving.

QUINCE POACHED IN CARDAMOM SYRUP

Steps:

• Peel quinces, then quarter and core. Cover with water in a bowl (to prevent discoloration).
• Bring water, sugar, citrus slices, and cardamom pods to a simmer in a small pot, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
• Cut quince quarters into 1/4-inch-thick wedges and add to syrup. Return to a simmer and cover quince with a round of parchment paper. Simmer until quince is just tender, about 45 minutes. Discard citrus slices. Cool quince in syrup to room temperature, about 1 hour (color will deepen). Discard cardamom pods.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CUSTARD WITH POACHED QUINCE AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place squash on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with brown sugar; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and roast until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove soft flesh from skin and transfer to the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth. You should have 4 cups of puree.
• Transfer puree to the jar of a blender. Add egg yolk and cream; blend until well combined. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Divide squash mixture evenly between twelve 4-ounce ramekins. Set ramekins in a large baking dish; fill baking dish with enough hot water so that it comes one third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Transfer baking dish to oven and bake until set, about 30 minutes.
• Remove custards from water bath and let cool to room temperature. Serve garnished with quince, pine nuts, and pumpkin seeds.

POACHED QUINCE

Steps:

• Place sugar in a small saucepan and add just enough water so that mixture resembles wet sand. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook sugar until melted and light golden in color.
• Carefully add brandy and stir in verjus. Wrap star anise and cinnamon in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to enclose; add cheesecloth packet to saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil; immediately reduce to a simmer. Remove cheesecloth packet and let poaching liquid simmer for 20 minutes.
• Place quince in a shallow saucepan. Set a strainer over saucepan and pour poaching liquid over quince. Transfer saucepan to medium heat and cook until liquid is heated through and quince is tender, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature.

SPICED POACHED QUINCE

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring several times to dissolve the sugar. Cut a circle of parchment paper just slightly bigger than the opening of your pot. Place the piece of parchment paper on top of the simmering quinces and a small plate on top of the paper to keep the quinces submerged in the syrup. Adjust the heat to keep the quinces simmering but not boiling hard. Simmer for 40 minutes or until the quince halves are easily pierced with a paring knife, but not falling apart. Strain the syrup. Serve the quince halves, warm or at room temperature, in a shallow bowl with some syrup.

MIDDLE EASTERN SPICED LAMB STEAKS WITH POACHED QUINCE

Steps:

• Poach quince:
• Bring water, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then add quince. Cut out a round of parchment or wax paper to fit just inside saucepan and cover quince directly with parchment or wax paper. Simmer, gently stirring once or twice, until quince is tender, about 35 minutes. Drain quince in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve 1/2 cup syrup for sauce.
• Cook lamb (10 minutes before quince is done simmering):
• Pat lamb dry. Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle spice mixture all over lamb. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook lamb 4 minutes, then turn over and cook 3 minutes more for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.
• Make sauce while lamb stands:
• Reduce heat to moderate and add reserved quince syrup to skillet, then boil, scraping up any brown bits, until liquid is reduced by almost half, about 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to a gravy boat or small bowl and stir in lemon juice and salt to taste.
• To serve:
• Thinly slice lamb and serve with quince and sauce.

POACHED QUINCE WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine water, agave nectar, white sugar, and orange juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, wash and peel the quince fruits and cut out any dark spots. Add whole quinces to the boiling liquid and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Turn quince over 180 degrees and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Add cranberries and simmer until quince are tender to a knife, 10 minutes.
• Serve quince cored or whole with the cranberries and syrup ladled over them. Top with orange zest.

LAMB CHOPS WITH POACHED QUINCE AND BALSAMIC PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine apple juice and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add quince slices and thyme sprigs. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quince is tender, about 20 minutes. Strain, reserving quince and juices separately. Discard thyme sprigs.
• Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb; cook to desired doneness, about 2 1/2 minutes per side for rib chops and 3 1/2 minutes per side for loin chops for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to platter; cover to keep warm. Pour off drippings from skillet; place skillet over medium heat. Add reserved quince juices; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in vinegar, butter, oregano, rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme. Season pan sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Top lamb with poached quince. Spoon pan sauce over and serve.

POACHED PEARS WITH QUINCE PASTE IN PARMESAN CLOAKS

Steps:

• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, then core from bottom with melon-ball cutter to create a 2 1/2-inch-deep cavity. Rub pears all over with lemon juice in a large bowl.
• Bring wine, sugar, vanilla bean, and zest to a boil in a wide 6-quart heavy pot (at least 12 inches in diameter) over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add pears, arranging them on their sides in 1 layer, along with any lemon juice from bowl (pears will not be covered by liquid), then reduce heat to low and poach pears, covered, turning occasionally, until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a 13- by 9-inch baking dish, standing pears upright and reserving liquid in pot.
• When pears are cool enough to handle, fill cavities with quince paste and stand pears upright in dish again.
• Boil liquid in pot over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour syrup over pears and cool, basting occasionally with syrup. Chill, covered, basting occasionally with syrup, until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Drizzle each pear lightly with syrup and slip a parmesan cloak over stem. Serve with cheese shavings on the side.

SEARED FOIE GRAS WITH POACHED QUINCE, TANGERINE, AND POMEGRANATE JUICE

Steps:

• To make the quince: Slice ends from quince, and peel (a vegetable peeler works well). Cut in half, lengthwise. Remove the tough core, using a Parisian scoop (or a small paring knife). Then cut quince lengthwise into 1-inch-thick wedges. Place in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan, and add the remaining ingredients, plus 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, and cool until quince is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Remove quince slices and tangerine peel with a slotted spoon. Strain poaching liquid and discard aromatics. Julienne tangerine peel, and return it, along with quince, to poaching liquid. Keep warm. If preparing in advance, let cool in poaching liquid. Cover, and refrigerate.
• To make the pomegranate juice: Cut pomegranate in half, and juice just as you would a citrus fruit. In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine pomegranate juice, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, until slightly thickened. Set aside.
• To make the foie gras: Separate the two lobes of the foie gras, and cut away any excess fat found at the point of separation. Using a sharp, thin-bladed knife (dipped in hot water), cut foie gras crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Score one side of each slice of foie gras in a crosshatch pattern. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Remove foie gras slices from refrigerator 15 minutes before sauteing. Warm quince over medium heat if necessary. Heat a 12-inch saucepan over medium-high heat. Season foie gras with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Working quickly, sear foie gras slices, crosshatched side down, in batches, if necessary, for about 1 minute. Turn, and cook for another minute. The foie gras should be nicely seared on the outside, yet rare in the middle.
• To assemble: Arrange quince in the center of warmed appetizer plates. Top with foie gras slices. Drizzle reduced pomegranate-juice mixture around the quince and foie gras, and garnish with herbs and pomegranate seeds. Note: This recipe has been adapted from "Alfred Portale's Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook," by Alfred Portale. Copyright 1997 by Alfred Portale. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House.

POACHED QUINCE BALLS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan bring sugar, star anise, cinnamon, and 4 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, using a 1/2-inch melon baller, scoop out 12 balls of quince.
• Add quince to liquid and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quince is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely in liquid. Store quince in poaching liquid in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to use.