ae-monterey-300ppi-mediterranean-5Quince Chutney – Fall
© Ann M. Evans
Quince ripens about mid October in most years in the Sacramento Valley. This recipe is from 2004, developed by Good Humus co owner, Annie Main, when we had a business making conserves, Evans & Main. Annie still makes it for sale at the Davis Farmers Market. Since then, I’ve made it every year, changing it a bit to suit my family’s taste. I serve it with a cheese course, with a turkey at Thanksgiving or a ham at Easter, and, with Indian curries. One year I collected fresh juniper berries in the Lake Tahoe area; they were delicious. I use a copper confiture pan from Paris to make this in, the copper conducts heat very evenly, which helps prevent scorching of the chutney in the final stages.

Ingredients:
8 cups peeled and sliced quince, about 12 quince
1 Meyer lemon, chopped
2 cups white granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cinnamon sticks (break them into pieces, one for each jar)
¼ cup fresh ginger, diced
1 hot red pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup juniper berries
I cup quince poaching liquid

Directions:

  1. Peel and slice quince (can dip whole quickly in hot water to make easier to remove skin).
  2. Place prepared quince in a pot of water to cover the quince on stovetop and bring to a boil, poach quince in water for 5 minutes.
  3. Remove quince and set aside. Save water.
  4. Combine all ingredients, including quince, in a large, non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the product is thick enough not to spread out with liquid when you put it on a plate, about 40 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn’t scorch for the last 5 minutes. You may need to use a spatula to cut the slices to have the product take on a texture suitable for spooning out of a jar.
  5. Taste and correct. The product may be too thick and need thinning with the quince water.
  6. If you do not wish to can the product, place in ½ or 1 pint jars with lids and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 months.
  7. Jar the product following a canning recipe. (Essentially you will sterilize jars, add hot product to up to ½ inch, wipe clean the lid of the jar, fit with a new lid and ring, screw on fairly tight.)
  8. Place in hot water bath for 45 minutes. Remove to call. When the product seals, label (date, product) and store in a cool, dark pantry for up to one year.

Yield is about 3 pints. The recipe can be doubled or tripled easily, but use less vinegar and quince water.