For a sweet New Year

Quinces ripen just in time for the holidays, and they go perfectly with honey, cinnamon or sugar.

By FAYE LEVY
quinces food 88 (photo credit: )
quinces food 88
(photo credit: )
Quinces are to me a signature Rosh Hashana fruit, as the holiday arrives just when these aromatic fruits become abundant in the markets. I first encountered these fruits, which somewhat resemble large yellow- or green-skinned apples, in Israel, in my Yemenite-born mother-in-law's kitchen. They are especially prized by Sephardim, who make them into preserves and other treats. For some reason, it took me a while to cook with them - I guess because they weren't familiar to me from my Ashkenazi-American background. But I discovered there's no need to hesitate; you can use quinces in any dish that calls for cooking apples. All you do is cook them longer. At a Rosh Hashana dinner, my Moroccan-born neighbor, Hayim Alon, baked quince slices with baby carrots, sliced sweet potatoes and prunes. To me it tasted like tzimmes and was delicious. At the table we began discussing quinces, and Alon mentioned that his mother cooked quinces with onions and meat, without adding sugar. Persians also use quinces this way, and in soups with meat. Another guest said his mother baked quince cake the same way she made apple cake. Indeed, most cooks use quinces in sweet recipes. Native to western Asia, they are used throughout the Mideast. In some homes, quinces are made into jam, and in others into halva (it's cooked to a thick paste, and once it's firm, it's served cut in squares). I've enjoyed similar quince paste from Mexican markets. The most popular fashion of preparing quinces among Sephardim from Greece, Turkey and Morocco is to poach them until it very tender in syrup scented with sweet spices, notably cinnamon and cloves; cardamom flavors a similar dish in Persian homes. On some Sephardi tables, this esteemed treat has the honor of being served as the first dish at the festive Rosh Hashana dinner to begin the holiday with a sweet taste. Occasionally, I've found quinces that were fresh enough to be enjoyed raw. But generally they are at their best when cooked and tender, which also brings out their aroma. It's best to choose large, aromatic, smooth fruits, which are easier to peel than small, knotty ones. Handle them carefully, as they bruise easily, although "a small amount of scarring is to be expected," wrote Bruce Beck in Produce - A Fruit and Vegetable Lovers Guide. He recommends choosing fruit that is firm but not hard, with skin on its way to yellow but still in excellent condition, and to ripen the quinces at home in a paper bag with a few holes in it until they are quite yellow. SAVORY SWEET CHICKEN WITH QUINCES For this festive entree, the chicken and quinces are braised with a touch of honey, a cinnamon stick, fresh ginger and saffron and garnished with toasted sesame seeds. The chicken is wonderful with couscous or rice. Green beans make a good accompaniment. The cooking time of quinces varies with their size and tenderness, so check them occasionally as they cook. Makes 4 to 6 servings 4 3 large quinces (about 750 to 900 gr. total) 4 1.4 kg. chicken pieces, patted dry 4 2 large onions, chopped 4 A large pinch of saffron threads (about 1⁄8 tsp.) 4 1 cup chicken stock, broth or water 4 1 to 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (optional) 4 A 5-cm. cinnamon stick 4 Salt and freshly ground pepper 4 1 Tbsp. chopped peeled ginger root 4 2 Tbsp. honey 4 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds Cut each quince in eight pieces. Cut out core and seed section from each piece. Put them in a large stew pan or casserole. Add chicken, onions, saffron, stock, oil, cinnamon stick and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat, gently turning chicken and quince pieces occasionally, about 35 minutes. Check quinces and remove if they are tender. Simmer for 10 more minutes or until chicken is tender. Transfer chicken pieces to a plate. If you have not yet removed quinces from pan, check them again; if they are not tender, simmer them 10 more minutes. Remove quinces. Add ginger and honey to casserole and cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Discard cinnamon stick. Return chicken and quinces to casserole and turn gently to coat with sauce. Cover and heat over low heat for 5 minutes. Serve garnish with toasted sesame seeds. SWEET QUINCES WITH CINNAMON In some homes, this sweet compote is set on the Rosh Hashana table along with apple slices and bowls of honey, pomegranate seeds and other fruits before the actual dinner begins. For other occasions, I like it best for dessert, especially (for meatless meals) the way I enjoyed it in Turkey - topped with a dollop of thick, very rich cream; they use kaymak cream (a kind of clotted cream), but creme fraiche or rich sour cream are good substitutes. For variations on the recipe, you can cook raisins along with the quinces, or add a pinch of cloves or strips of orange or lemon zest. The quinces are delicious hot or cold. Makes 4 servings 4 3 large quinces (about 800 gr. total) 4 1 cup sugar 4 1 pared strip of lemon or orange zest (optional) 4 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 4 1⁄4 cup strained fresh lemon juice (optional) Peel quinces, cut them in eighths and cut out core and seed section from each piece. Put in a heavy saucepan, add strip of lemon zest and water just to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook uncovered over medium heat, carefully turning slices over from time to time, about 50 minutes, or until they are tender and much of the water is evaporated so they are about half-covered with liquid. (Cooking time varies with size of quinces and their degree of ripeness.) Discard strip of lemon. Add sugar and cinnamon. Swirl pan and baste quinces with the liquid to dissolve the sugar. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then over low heat for 20 minutes, basting from time to time. Add lemon juice and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes or until quinces are very tender and appear shiny and glazed; syrup should taste concentrated. Spoon them into serving dishes with their syrup. Serve cold.n Faye Levy is the author of Feast from the Mideast.