At the market this week, I found myself pleasantly surprised to see a basket of quince in the produce section.  Having only cooked with a handful of times before, I was excited to snag a couple of quince and plan a dinner menu around them.  Similar in appearance to a yellowish-green pear, this firm fruit is not eaten raw because of its naturally sour taste, therefore must be cooked.  The most popular way to cook quince is poaching it, but it can also be steamed or roasted.  It is used in both savory and sweet dishes, and can also be found in a paste form which is popular in dessert recipes, or even paired with Manchego cheese as a classic Spanish appetizer-pairing.

I was intrigued by all of the recipes I found online pairing poached quince with lamb.  This is the route I took with my quince: I poached it in a sugar syrup until tender and served it alongside seared lamb chops flavored with ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon.  A lovely entrée that really highlighted the poached quince, and its incredible taste pairing with lamb.  I urge you to buy a couple of quince when you see them and experiment with one of the many delectable recipes that are out there just waiting to be enjoyed!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/middle-eastern-spiced-lamb-steaks-with-poached-quince-231185)

Tagged: cinnamon, coriander, cous cous, cumin, Epicurious.com, lamb, lamb chops, lamb with quince, Middle Eastern, Middle Eastern lamb chops, poached quince, quince, seared lamb chops