Cinnamon Pot-Roasted Quinces

Cinnamon pot-roasted quinces: inspired by Stephanie Alexander

These cinnamon pot-roasted quinces were inspired by a Stephanie Alexander recipe in one of my favourite cookbooks,  ‘The Cook’s Companion.’

For the longest time, I shied away from cooking quinces as it seemed like too much effort.

I found it difficult to peel the skin from their irregular shapes. When raw, the fruit is very hard, which makes it tough to cut and core them.

Yet, there is no need to peel the quinces in this recipe.

The quinces are simply nestled into a pot with cinnamon sticks, orange segments and a sugar syrup, then roasted in the oven until soft and fragrant, and such a beautiful rich hue of orange-pink.

Adding the juice of one or two lemons before serving will cut through the sweetness of the fruit.

The result is a pot of baked fruits with a gorgeous aroma, their skins soft and blistered, bathed in a deep pink syrup.

They will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

The origin of quinces

Quince is the only member of the genus Cydonia and is native to Iran, Turkey, and possibly Greece and the Crimean Peninsula.

They are loosely related to apples and pears.

They have an irregular shape, a fuzzy white coat when green, a bright golden colour when ripe, and a delicious aroma.

The quinces are not harvested; rather the fruits are picked up as they fall from the tree.

Turkey is the world’s largest producer of quinces, followed by China, Uzbekistan and Iran.

The common quince (Cydonia oblonga), is grown commercially in small quantities in Australia. The coastal areas,  tablelands and inland districts of NSW produce good quinces.

What to look for in a quince

Quinces should be firm when squeezed and super fragrant.

They are frequently covered with downy white fuzz that must be rubbed off before cooking.

The skin is thin and easily bruised, so it is normal to see small blemishes.

Avoid buying quinces with large dark soft spots or those that feel spongy when gently squeezed.

Storing quinces

Quince are best kept in a cool, dry, airy place.

Ideally, give the quinces enough space so they don’t touch each other.  If one rots, you can discard it before it affects the fruit.

If unblemished, quinces will keep for several week.

Store quinces away from other fruits. Any fruit you store next to them will take on their strong aroma.

Serving suggestions

A few wedges of quinces taste delicious with porridge and milk or a dollop of cream.

I also like them with Greek yoghurt and my easy homemade granola.

For dessert, serve a few segments of roasted quince with custard or vanilla ice cream, with the ruby-red syrup drizzled over the top.

In savoury dishes, quinces go well with roast pork, duck and spatchcock.

Quince puree

I love to puree some of the cinnamon pot-roasted quince and smear it on a slice of bread with goat’s cheese.

The puree can also be added to cakes or stirred into vanilla ice cream.

Quince syrup

The syrup tastes delicious with sparkling mineral water or splashed into gin and tonic.

Best wishes,

Amanda

PS: If you’ve tried this these cinnamon pot-roasted quinces or any other recipe from At Amanda’s Table, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

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