Stuffed Quinces
- 2 large quinces (each weighing about 1 pound)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 7 ounces lean ground lamb or beef
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- salt and black pepper
Instructions:
This is truly exquisite. Quinces are now available for quite a long period in Middle Eastern and Asian stores.
- Wash the quinces and rub off the light down that covers their skin in patches. Put them on a piece of foil on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 325° F for 1 to 2 hours (the time varies considerably), until they feel soft when you press them.
- For the stuffing, fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add the pine nuts and stir, turning them over, until golden. Put the ground meat in a bowl and add the cinnamon, all-spice, salt, and pepper. Mix and work well to a smooth paste with your hands. Add the fried onions and pine nuts and work them into the paste.
- When the quinces are cool enough to handle, cut them open lengthwise through the stem end. Remove the cores with a pointed knife and discard them. With a pointed spoon, scoop out about one-third of the pulp and mix it into the meat mixture. Heap a quarter of this mixture into each quince half and press it down.
- Return the 4 stuffed quince halves to the baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.