Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Quince compote and spices

I simply adore quince. As a child I ate it raw with a pinch of salt. A fond memory. I like to bake it in the oven, as in here, or on pan fried on the stove like here or a crumble like here. Today I made a simple compote that is delicious with a scoop of créme fraiche or even ice cream. It can be served with duck or chicken or how about pork, giving you that sweet sour taste. It is so easy to make, a proper seasonal fruit and along with some spices, falls right into perfection for autumn. I give relative quantities. The best way is to find your own path, taste and adjust and add as you go along.

Small wild quince.

Recipe:

  • 2 large quinces
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 star anis
  • tsp red peppercorns (optional)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • grated nutmeg
  • a pinch of fleur de sel
  • 500 ml water
  • 350 ml sugar
  1. Peel the quinces, cut off the ends and cut into pieces along with the core and seeds.
  2. Add to a bowl and drizzle liberally with lemon juice.
  3. Sprinkle with the spices and fleur de sel and add to a casserole, along with the lemon juice.
  4. Add the water and sugar and simmer gently for about 45 minute or until the water has dissolved and the quince are tender. Dont stir too much if you dont want a puree.
  5. Remove the cinnamon stick and the star anis after 15 minutes of cooking.
  6. Sterilize 2 canfruit bottles and pour in the hot quince. Let it cool and store in the fridge.

Pinch of salt.

  • Tplace the spices with a vanilla pod, seeds scraped out and pod and seeds addd to the quince.
  • If you dont like the seedsand core of th quince, add them to a little bouquet garni muslin pouch and remove at the end of cooking.
  • The seeds and core are important for the red coloring of the quince and they are full of gelatin which helps to thicken the syrup.
  • Replace the lemon juice with orange juice.
  • Dont worry about the coloration of the quince when you peel it. It is normal. Add some lemon juice, but it wont stop the coloration completely.
  • Add some apple pieces to the quince mixture for variation.
Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Marinated red onions

These marinated onions have been around for quite a few years and I haven’t gotten around to posting them. So here they are. If you haven’t made them yet, you are missing out badly. They are delicious with everything and they add a punch to salads, starters, sandwiches, vegetable platters, pastas and snacks. So easy to make, so quick and effortless, it will be a shame not to have them on hand in the fridge, where they will keep for about one month. Now that the festive christmas season is upon us, why not give a bottle/can away as a christmas gift. I promise you it isn’t expensive, it looks pretty and it will be truly appreciated.

Marinated red onions recipe

  1. 4 small red onions or 2 large onions
  2. 300 ml white vinegar, or cider vinegar, or rice vinegar
  3. 4 TBSP white sugar
  4. 1 TBSP salt
  5. peppercorns
  6. 2 peeled garlic cloves
  1. Peel the onions and slice thinly into rings.
  2. Place the sliced onions into two medium mas jars. Add the some peppercorns and one garlic clove to each jar.
  3. Bring to the boil the vinegar, salt and sugar.
  4. Pour the vinegar over the onions and fill to the top. Leave to cool down a bit and cover.
  5. Set aside to cool down completely and store in the fridge for up to one month.

Pinch of salt

  • Use white vinegar or cider vinegar or rice vinegar, or use a mix of your choice of vinegar.
  • Add a little water to the marinade if you don’t want it too pungent.
  • Slice the onion thicker for more crunch.
  • The onions canbe used immediately but will be better after about three days of marinating.
  • Use the marinade for vinaigrettes.

Joyeux Noël!