Fragrant Quince Tagine

Today the second recipe in the series of Demuth's Vegetarian Restaurant, Bath.
In Morocco quinces are traditionally added to tagines to add perfume and sweetness. Quinces are squat pear-shaped fruit of ‘Cydonia oblonga’. They turn yellow when ripe with a soft white down that is easily rubbed off. A single quince has the power to scent a whole room. When cooked they have a magical aroma that permeates what ever you cook them with.

Serves: 4
Dietary: Vegetarian, Wheatfree
Serve with couscous

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large carrot, chopped into large bite sized pieces
• 2 quinces, peeled, cored and cut into 8ths
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 250g butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 pear, peeled, cored and cut into 8ths
• 1 large red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 tsps coriander seed, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp cumin seed, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp paprika
• 600mls water
• ½ stick cinnamon
• 1 tbsp pomegranate syrup
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• handful of fresh flat parsley, chopped

Method

• Gently heat the olive oil in a wide heavy-based saucepan and fry the onion until soft and slightly caramelized.
• Add the carrot, quince and oregano, cook for one minute.
• Then add the squash and pear and cook for another minute.
• Stir in the chilli, garlic, ground coriander, cumin and paprika.
• Add the water, cinnamon stick and pomegranate syrup.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Simmer for 25 minutes, with the lid on, until the vegetables are tender but still have texture.
• Stir in the parsley and check the seasoning.

Tips: Pomegranate syrup is made from ripe pomegranates. The juice is concentrated by gentle cooking to a thick syrup. It has a sweet and sour flavour and is used in Moroccan cooking to heighten the flavour of savoury dishes.

Other recipes in this serie

• Apricot and Hazelnut Baklava
• Squash and Pumpkin Seeds with Bissara

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