THE PIQUANT QUINCE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 718, 17 April 1953, Page 22

THE PIQUANT QUINCE

peaches and apricots and all the summer fruits, we do enjoy the sharper flavour of quinces. They are generally used in conjunction with other fruits, especially juicy or watery ones like piemelon or apples, because quiyces are a bit dry but do supply such a fine taste. Like all fruit, quinces should be properly ripe before using. Quince and Blackberry Pie This is a real winner. It is best to have a little apple in the pie, too. Cook the peeled and sliced quinces first for a few minutes, as they are the hardest. Then add sliced apples and some blackberries. You can vary the proportions to suit your own taste. Stew the fruits in a saucepan with sugar and water, and cool in a deep piedish before putting’ on the pie-crust, using either flaky or short pastry. Very good with cream! A FTER the bland sweetness of Casseroled Quinces These are very flavoursome and tangy, and nice served hot or cold. Slice the quinces into a deep casserole, add some sliced apples, and some blackberries, too, if you like. Sprinkle plenty of sugar through the fruit and cover with water. Put on the lid and cook slowly at the bottom of the oven, until the quinces are quite soft. You can use some of this for a pie, too, putting the pastry on when the fruit is cool. It will have a much richer flavour than the stewed fruit mentioned above. If no blackberries are available, add some lemon juice. Quince and Tomato Jam Peel and core 2 Ib. quinces, and put through mincer, catching every drop of the rather scanty juice. Skin 3 lb. ripe tomatoes. Cut up roughly, and put into preserving pan with the quinces. When hot add 5 Ib. sugar, stir till dissolved. then boil until the jam is cooked and will set when tested on a cold plate. Hopey’s Chutney One pound tomatoes, 1 Ib. apples, 1 Ib. quinces, 10 oz. onions, ¥2 Ib. raisins, 4 oz. preserved ginger (or bruised whole ginger), 4% Ib. brown sugar, 1 or 2 oz. salt, Y% oz. ground ginger, 42 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 pint vinegar. Chop fruit. and vegetables finely and boil 2 to 3 hours. Pickled Quinces Peel and cut quinces (green are best but not too green) into quarters, put into pan and nearly cover with vinegar add 1% Ib. sugar to every pint vinegar a few cloves, peppercorns, and cayenne to taste. Boil until soft and good pink colour, then allow to cool, and bottle. Delicious. Quince Chutney Six large quinces, 1 Ib. ripe tomatoes, 2 lb. apples, 4 large onions, 2 Ib. brown sugar, 2 oz. salt, 1 oz. ground ginger, 6 chillies, 4% teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1% lb. seeded raisins. Pee} and cut up all ingredients, mix and cover with vinegar-about 3 pints. Boil slowly 3 to 4 hours. Bottle while hot. ‘Quince Jam Twelve Jarge quinces, 8 Ib, sugar, 8 cups water. Peel and cut up quinces in

slices, soak in 8 cups water overnight. Boil next morning till soft then add the sugar, stir till dissolved, and boil quickly till it will set.

Quince and Piemelon Jam Five pounds piemelon, 3 Ib. quinces, 6 Ib. sugar. Prepare melon and cut into dice, sprinkle with half the sugar and leave all night. Next day, boil up for an hour. Peel and core the quinces, put peels and cores in saucepan, cover with water and boil gently till pink, then strain. Slice the quinces and cook them till soft in this strained water. Then put melon and quinces all together, add the rest of the sugar, stir till dissolved, and boil fast till it will set when tested. Quince Honey Boil for 10 minutes 1 pint water and 6 Ib. sugar. Peel and put through mincer 5 large quinces and 1 large pineapple. Have a basin under the mincer to catch

all the juice. Add this to syrup. Boil ¥ hour, or till it will set a golden colour. Do not overboil. Remove hard core of pineapple. Quince Conserve Peel, core and cut the quinces into eighths. Weigh. Put into a basin. Allow 1 pint water and '% lb. sugar to each 1 lb. fruit. Boil sugar and water 5 minutes, and pour boiling on to the quinces. Leave all night. Boil all together 2 to 3 hours, till it will set and is a lovely red. May be flavoured with cloves, or with clove essence. Easy Quince Honey Six large quinces, 5 lb. sugar, 1 pint water, Boil sugar and water together 10 to 15 minutes, then add the quinces. minced or grated, and boil for 20 minutes, or till it will set. Quince and Marrow Jam Peel and mince 3 Ib. marrow. Cover with 3 Ib. sugar and stand overnight. Next morning add 2 lb. minced quinces and 2 lb. sugar. Boil together till it will set. If it is a very dry marrow, add a little water. Plain Quince Jelly This is a tried recipe and uncomplicated: 12 lb. quinces, 10 pints water. Wash the fruit and cut into small pieces. skins and cores and everything. Boil gently in the water, mashing it up from time to time till all is soft and fairly thick. Strain all night, or even longer. through a jelly bag. Pour the juice into preserving pan, measuring by. cupfuls. Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. Then add an equal number of cuvfuls of warmed sugar, stir till this is dissolved and all is boiling again. Then boil fast till it will set when tested-should be 15 or 20 minutes. ~