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This Week at the Greenmarket: The Artist Formerly Known As Quince

Posted in Programs and Events on October 15 2014, by Lansing Moore

Quince Nora Singley The Kitchn The Cheesemonger
Photo by Nora Singley via The Kitchn

NYBG’s Greenmarket is open today until 3 p.m. Stop by for fresh spaghetti squash, leeks, apples, and more seasonal delicacies. If you’re looking for a fun new recipe to try out, we have an exciting use for one of today’s special Greenmarket offerings: quince!

These interesting fruits can be difficult to find, but they are available at NYBG today. Membrillo is a quince paste popular in Spain, that can be enjoyed on toast like any preserve, or better yet, on a cracker with cheese for a sweet and savory treat.

Make you own membrillo with this easy recipe, and with holiday parties just around the corner you will have a delicious addition to any cheese platter—or a unique homemade gift.

Homemade Membrillo

Via The Kitchn

quince paste membrillo
Photo by Nora Singley via The Kitchn

Ingredients

  1. 3 1/2 pounds quince, washed, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
  2. 2 3/4 cups sugar
  3. Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste

Preparation

  1. In a large pot, combine quince and enough water to cover by 2 inches.
  2. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quince is very tender, about 25 minutes.
  3. Strain, reserving 3/4 cup liquid. Return to pot with reserved liquid, sugar, and lemon juice.
  4. Boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced and very thick, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
  5. Taste, and add more lemon if you’d like. The color should be a rich raspberry, quite darker and more red than the initial color of the boiled quince.
  6. If a smooth texture is desired, strain through a fine-meshed sieve.
  7. Transfer to a container, cool, cover, and transfer to refrigerator until ready to use. Alternatively, you can transfer to a buttered baking dish and chill in the refrigerator. Invert and slice into pieces for serving.
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Plan your visit to the Greenmarket by checking out what’s in season. The Greenmarket accepts food stamps, EBT, WIC/FMNP, and Senior coupons, in addition to cash and credit or debit cards.