Los Angeles Times (October 28, 2009)

Recipe: Candied quince

Candied quince

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Total time: About 1 1/2 hours

Servings: Makes 1 pint

Note: From Barbara Ghazarian’s "Simply Quince." For those new to
cooking with quince, this recipe is an excellent starting
point. Candied quince is very easy to make and delicious any way you
serve it.

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1 pound fresh quince, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
(about
3 cups)

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and
water. Add the quince and stir to coat.

2. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sugar melts completely
and begins to bubble, stirring often so the fruit does not
burn. Reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and continue to
cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is softened and turned to
a rich rosé or red color and the sugar has reduced to a thickened,
syrupy consistency, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove from heat.

3. Serve with a little heavy cream or yogurt spooned over top, or use
as a topping for vanilla ice cream.

Each of 8 servings: 312 calories; 0 protein; 81 grams carbohydrates; 1
gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 76 grams sugar; 1 mg. sodium.

fo-quincerec28a-2009oct28,0,7298783.story

Copyrig ht © 2009, The Los Angeles Times <;

Recipe: Quince clafoutis

Quince clafoutis

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Total time: 1 hour and 10 minutes, plus poaching and chilling times
for the quince

Servings: 10

Note: Adapted from Barbara Ghazarian’s "Simply Quince." Light, rich
and creamy, this pudding-like dessert is a French classic. Sublime
when served slightly warm or just at room temperature.
Poached quince

8 cups water

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 3-inch cinnamon stick

2 pounds fresh quince, peeled, cored, quartered and cut into 1/2
-inch-thick wedges (about 7 cups)

In a large, heavy-bottom pot, combine water, sugar, lemon juice,
cinnamon stick and quince. Quickly bring to a boil over high heat,
stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce to a simmer and continue to
cook, uncovered, until the quince is tender, about 1 1/4 hours,
stirring occasionally. The fruit will turn golden, then a blush
salmon-pink color. The fruit is done when a knife pierces it
easily. Discard the cinnamon stick and cool to room temperature. This
makes about 4 cups poached quince, slightly more than is required for
the remainder of the recipe. Poached quince may be jarred in its
poaching syrup, stored in an airtight container and chilled (in the
refrigerator) for a week, or frozen.

Quince clafoutis

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

6 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons apricot brandy

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 cups poached quince, drained, patted dry with paper towels, and
chilled in an airtight container for at least 2 hours before using

Powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round deep-dish pie
pan. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the pan with 1 tablespoon of
the sugar. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or in a
large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs and
remaining one-third cup sugar until the eggs are pale yellow, light
and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour, cream, lemon zest,
vanilla, brandy and salt and mix over low speed just until
combined. Set aside the mixture for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, arrange the quince slices in a single-layer fan or wheel
pattern on the base of the prepared pan.

4. Pour the custard evenly over the prepared fruit, leaving one-half
inch gap between the top of the custard and the top of the pan. Bake
the clafoutis in the middle of the oven until the top is golden brown
and the custard is firm, about 30 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway
through for even coloring. Remove to a rack; the clafoutis will settle
and deflate slightly as it cools.

5. Dust the top of the clafoutis with powdered sugar, slice and serve
slightly warm or at room temperature. Best served the day of
preparation; the custard tends to firm and crack when held over.

Each serving: 295 calories; 4 grams protein; 34 grams carbohydrates; 1
gram fiber; 16 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 123 mg. cholesterol;
19 grams sugar; 99 mg. sodium.

o-quincerec28b-2009oct28,0,19687.story?track=3Drss

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times <;

Where to find quince

-quincebox28-2009oct28,0,5306250.story

Here are some places to buy quince fruit, trees and products.

Gonzaga Farm (Ronnie and Tess Gonzaga). Pineapple quince grown in
Lindsay, Calif., at the Alhambra, Cerritos, Buena Park, Long Beach
Southeast, Long Beach Uptown and Long Beach Downtown farmers markets.

June Taylor Co. (June Taylor). Artisanal organic preserves, available
by mail order: quince butter, quince paste, quince cheese. 2207 4th
St., Berkeley; (510) 548-2236;

Mud Creek Ranch (Steve and Robin Smith). Organic Pineapple and Golden
quince grown in Santa Paula, at the Hollywood and Santa Monica
Wednesday farmers markets.

One Green World (Jim Gilbert). Aromatnaya, Crimea, Kaunching,
Kuganskaya, Mellow, Orange, Smyrna and Van Deman quince trees. 28696
S. Cramer Road, Molalla, Ore.; (503) 651-3005;

Oregon Quinces (Tremaine and Gail Arkley). Fresh Pineapple and Russian
varieties of quince. 9775 Hultman Road, Independence, Ore.; (503)
838-4886.

Raintree Nursery (Sam Benowitz). Aromatnaya, Ekmek, Karp’s Sweet,
Orange, Pineapple, Portugal, Smyrna and Van Deman quince trees. 391
Butts Road, Morton, Wash.; (360) 496-6400;

Trees of Antiquity (Neil Collins). Aromatnaya, Pineapple and Smyrna
quince trees. 20 Wellsona Road, Paso Robles, Calif.; (805) 467-9909;

Terry Ranch (Rebecca and Mark Terry). Pineapple quince grown in Dinuba,
Calif., at the Santa Monica Saturday (Organic) farmers market.

Willowrose Bay (Edith Walden). Mediterranean quince marmalade (like
membrillo); regular quince marmalade; Ambrosia (quince and
applesauce); quince butter; quince syrup; and fresh quince:
Aromatnaya, Cooke’s Jumbo, Havran, Karp’s Sweet, Kaunching,
Kuganskaya, Meech’s Prolific, Lisle, Smyrna, Tashkent, Van
Deman. P.O. Box 1652, Anacordes, Wash.; (360) 299-9999.