Name: Spicy Poached Quince, Baby Gem
Ingredients: sea salt flakes; 4 allspice berries, crushed; 1 small red onion; 300 g edamame (see above) in the pod (fresh or frozen); 3 baby Little Gem lettuces, leaves separated; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 250 g best-quality ricotta; 40 pecans, around 1 cupful, toasted; 500 ml red wine (use something lively with a little spice, such as a Shiraz, Pinotage or Pinot Noir); 150 g unrefined sugar; juice of 1 lemon and pared rind of ½ of it; 1 red chilli (moderate heat), halved; piece of cinnamon stick about 5 cm long

Preparation info

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Salads

By Peter Gordon

Published 2005

About

Quinces mark the start of the end of summer, and their texture is firmer and less juicy than the stone fruit they follow. However, with slow gentle cooking they develop into a rich textural mouthful. Quinces are funny creatures, as they take an awfully long time to cook compared to a pear, yet they become very soft when cooked and then firm up when cooled.

This salad relies on contrast of textures for its appeal as much as on flavour, with the crunch from the nuts and edamame (fresh