Get your quince on.

Quince is one of those fruits that you hear about, but don't really know what it tastes like nor how to properly use it.  Like lychee and loganberry.  For me at least.  

So, when I saw that Lee was selling quince at his farmstand, I had to buy a few to experiment.  They sat in my fridge for a week or so, while I read over tons and tons of recipes.  Initially I was just going to use them like apples in a savory roast chicken dish.  Cut them into quarters, toss with some butter and olive oil, thyme, sage, etc, and roast alongside the chicken.  Seemed like an easy way to cook them, and their faint floral notes would perfume the meat and cook down into a lovely sauce.  Simplistic, but very satisfying.   

But, the more that I read, I couldn't find a single recipe that suggested using the fruit with that technique, which generally means it just isn't a good idea.  Instead, there was recipe after recipe for poached quince, quince jellies and compotes, quince syrup.  I decided to forget the roast chicken plan and stick to a recipe.  A tart recipe.  Best to leave this to the experts.

Turns out quince is a bit of a beast - it has fuzzy, thick skin and a large core, which can be a pain to cut around.  Although, with a sharp knife, determination, and a few extra minutes,  you'll do just fine.  Inside it is a pale creamy color with a texture that lies somewhere between an unripe apple and jicama.  I did not try the raw quince - the single thread between all of the recipes I had read was that uncooked quince is pretty gross.  Very bitter.

As per usual, I fussed a bit with proportions and came up with a pretty darn good dessert, and beautiful to boot.  While lining my pie tin and stewing fruit, Daniel somewhat skeptically asked if I had made this pie before.  I admitted to being an amateur with quince and declared that this pie was simply a foray into the unknown, and that my next will most certainly be better.  Turns out I don't have too much to improve upon. 

QUINCE AND APPLE TART with Star Anise
for a seven and a half inch tart tin

3 quince, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup water
4 star anise 
pinch of salt

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter

1 apple, thinly sliced
shortcrust pastry dough 

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine quince, honey, water, star anise and salt.  Bring to a simmer and poach the quince until just soft, about 5 minutes.  I managed to cook mine a bit too long, so the fruit became quite mushy.  Not a problem, but if you want fruit with a bit more bite, poach for less time. 

Strain quince over another saucepan, reserving all of the liquid.  Pick out the star anise and add to saucepan.  In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and flour.  Add to reserved cooking liquid.  Mix in butter and cook down until thickened, about 1 - 2 minutes.  Remove star anise.  Cool in fridge or freezer for about ten minutes, or until below room temperature.

Meanwhile, line your tart tin with pastry dough.  I LOVE doing this.  It's so relaxing and satisfying.  Once lined, put your tart tin back in the fridge - keep your dough as cold as possible.  
Put a cookie tray in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees.   

Once your sauce is cool enough, fill your tart tin with cooked quince.  Arrange apple slices over the top - make it pretty - and then pour your syrup evenly over the pie.  Leave a tablespoon or two for adding mid-baking.

Put your tart into the oven, on the preheated tray, and immediately turn the oven down to 425 degrees.  Bake for about 25 minutes, and then turn down the heat to 375, and bake for another 45 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the juices are bubbling.  Make sure to spoon more of the reserved syrup over the top of the tart a few times while baking - it will moisten and flavor the apples.  

Serve with simple whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  

My favorite part of this tart was unexpected.  Because my quince cooked down so much and became kinda mushy, I needed something to give the tart texture and to make it look pretty.  The sliced apples on top were a bit of a last minute whim, but they were fantastic.  They dried out, adding a nice chewy note and their tartness complimented the rich flavor of the star anise and honey.  Quince has delicate floral and stone fruit flavors, which became the underlying element in a seriously delicious dessert.

And in closing, I totally think that I could roast them alongside a chicken and it would be wonderful.  Perhaps I'll find a few more at the farmer's market today to play with - updates to follow!