Roast Quinces
by Nigella. Featured in COOK EAT REPEATIntroduction
I am always happy when I have quinces in my kitchen: their heady, honeyed perfume, mixed with a floral citrusiness that prevents its becoming cloying, is better than the most expensive scented candle in the world.
This recipe is where I propose you start. It could scarcely be simpler. I’ve been cooking with quinces for decades now, but only recently have I done this little to them to such great effect. It is hardly a recipe: all I am suggesting you do is cut these pregnant pears, as the writer Bee Wilson describes them, into long wedges and roast them with some olive oil in a hot oven. The quinces need no spicing: they are poetically perfect just as they are.
The last time I cooked these, I was trying to explain what they were to someone who’d never come across a quince before, and I said he should think of them as a cross between a parsnip and a pear. This makes no sense botanically, but it conjures up the sweet graininess of their flesh, even if it misses the sharpness that is just as much an essential part of what they bring. Indeed, you could so easily roast quinces in place of the traditional parsnips to go with your Christmas turkey or they make a wonderful accompaniment to Norwegian Pork Ribs.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
I am always happy when I have quinces in my kitchen: their heady, honeyed perfume, mixed with a floral citrusiness that prevents its becoming cloying, is better than the most expensive scented candle in the world.
This recipe is where I propose you start. It could scarcely be simpler. I’ve been cooking with quinces for decades now, but only recently have I done this little to them to such great effect. It is hardly a recipe: all I am suggesting you do is cut these pregnant pears, as the writer Bee Wilson describes them, into long wedges and roast them with some olive oil in a hot oven. The quinces need no spicing: they are poetically perfect just as they are.
The last time I cooked these, I was trying to explain what they were to someone who’d never come across a quince before, and I said he should think of them as a cross between a parsnip and a pear. This makes no sense botanically, but it conjures up the sweet graininess of their flesh, even if it misses the sharpness that is just as much an essential part of what they bring. Indeed, you could so easily roast quinces in place of the traditional parsnips to go with your Christmas turkey or they make a wonderful accompaniment to Norwegian Pork Ribs.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
- 2 - 4 quinces (depending on size)
- 4 x 15ml tablespoons (60ml) olive oil (or other fat of your choice)
- 2 - 4 quinces (depending on size)
- ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil (or other fat of your choice)
Method
- If you have small quinces, quarter them; if large, cut them into eighths. I neither peel nor core them, though if they’re covered in fuzz, wipe or wash it off, depending on how you feel about such matters. Go carefully as you take a knife to them: they are brutes to cut into.
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/400°F, and pour the oil into a lipped baking sheet. If you’re using duck fat, or anything else that’s solid, then pop the tray into the oven so the fat can melt.
- Schmoosh the quince wedges in the oil, and then leave flat on the tray and roast for about 45 minutes (though they are more likely to need an hour), turning them after they’ve had 30 minutes. It’s very difficult to say exactly how long they’ll take, as they vary enormously; the colour they turn as they cook can differ wildly, too. But when they’re ready, they should be gloriously burnished, and feel tender if you pierce one with a fork.
- If you have small quinces, quarter them; if large, cut them into eighths. I neither peel nor core them, though if they’re covered in fuzz, wipe or wash it off, depending on how you feel about such matters. Go carefully as you take a knife to them: they are brutes to cut into.
- Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/400°F, and pour the oil into a lipped baking sheet. If you’re using duck fat, or anything else that’s solid, then pop the tray into the oven so the fat can melt.
- Schmoosh the quince wedges in the oil, and then leave flat on the tray and roast for about 45 minutes (though they are more likely to need an hour), turning them after they’ve had 30 minutes. It’s very difficult to say exactly how long they’ll take, as they vary enormously; the colour they turn as they cook can differ wildly, too. But when they’re ready, they should be gloriously burnished, and feel tender if you pierce one with a fork.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD:
Roast quinces up to 3 days ahead, cover and refrigerate. Reheat in 190°C/170°C Fan/375°F oven for 15-20 minutes until piping hot.
STORE:
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, and use within 24 hours. Transfer to baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and reheat as above. Or eat cold.
FREEZE:
Freeze quinces in airtight container for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in fridge and reheat as above.
MAKE AHEAD:
Roast quinces up to 3 days ahead, cover and refrigerate. Reheat in 190°C/170°C Fan/375°F oven for 15-20 minutes until piping hot.
STORE:
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, and use within 24 hours. Transfer to baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and reheat as above. Or eat cold.
FREEZE:
Freeze quinces in airtight container for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in fridge and reheat as above.
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