This is a stunning dish that we always go back to! You could use hard pears as an alternative…

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 20′ Cooks in: 1:50′ Ready in: 2:10′

Ingredients
8 medium quinces
500 g mixed beef and lamb meat, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup medium grain rice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ nutmeg
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp butter, melted
4 tbsp white wine
1 lemon, juiced
salt, freshly ground black pepper

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 180οC. Wash quince fruits and cut the top. Remove the pip, grate carefully and remove enough flesh, leaving a shell about 4cm thick. Rub inside with a little lemon juice. Finely chop quince pulp.

Step 2
In a large frying pan heat oil and cook onions until translucent. Stir in minced meat until nicely colored. Add wine and when alcohol evaporates stir in spices, quince flesh, rice, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed.

Step 3
Fill quince shells with meat mixture shaping and close with their tops. Transfer in a pan and brush with butter. Mix lemon juice with 1 cup water and pour it over the quinces.

Step 4
Cook for 1½ hour until quinces are soft when poked with a fork. Serve hot with the juices of the pan.

Photo George Drakopoulos – Food styling Tina Webb

Και η ελληνική συνταγή: Κυδώνια γεμιστά με κιμά