Poached Quince in Syrup (Romanian Stewed Quince)
Romanian-style poached quince: diced quinces simmered in a light lemon syrup, then finished with raisins, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla into a silky sauce. One pot, about an hour, naturally vegan.
Ingredients
- 3 quinces
- 3 tbsp grapeseed oil or another neutral oil, or vegan butter
- 1 tbsp rice flour mixed with 2 Tbsps water (you can also use regular flour or cornstarch)
- 50 g brown sugar
- ½ tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 3 tbsp raisins
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp rum extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 200 ml water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ lemon zest only, finely grated
Instructions
- Put the water in a small bowl, add the sugar and lemon juice and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Peel the quinces, chop them in bite-size pieces (about 1 inch / 2-3 cm) and remove the inner, hard core.
- Add the oil to a pan. Pour in the sugar syrup and add the chopped quinces.
- Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes, until the quince is soft and easily pierced with a fork (depending on the variety and ripeness, it can take up to 45 minutes). Add more water if needed.
- Add a pinch of sea salt, dissolved flour, cinnamon, ground cloves, raisins, vanilla and rum extracts and the lemon zest.
- Simmer for another 5 minutes. Don't forget to stir continuously to avoid burning the sauce.
- Serve either hot or cold.
Notes
Keep heat on medium-low throughout — high heat makes the quinces mushy outside before the inside cooks. The color deepens after cooling; don't judge the final pink by how it looks in the pot. Keeps 4 days in the fridge; reheat gently without boiling.