Nici Wickes: Slow cooked lamb and quince

Autumn brings one of my all-time favourite fruits: quince. Lumpy and bumpy, rock hard and astringent when raw, this fruit transforms upon cooking to something fragrant, soft and utterly divine.  

This recipe is a derivation of the Persian dish khoresh, referring to a stew, and the quince pair beautifully with lamb.  

Serves 2-4 

  

Ingredients: 

1 large onion, diced 

500g lamb, cubed 

1 tbsp turmeric  

2-3 cm cinnamon stick 

½ tsp cardamom powder (optional) 

100g yellow split peas, pre-soak these for 1-2 hours  

2-3 tbsp lemon juice  

1-2 tbsps sugar 

2 quince, peeled, quartered and cored 

2 tbsp bloomed saffron (optional) 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Vegetable oil 

Water 

  

Method 

Heat some oil in a pan and sauté chopped onions until softened and beginning to brown. Add the lamb along with the spices and fry until browned on all sides. Add in split peas and just enough boiling water to cover. Lower the heat and simmer for one hour or until meat is fully cooked and split peas are tender.  

Whilst the meat cooks, sauté the quince quarters in a clean, lightly oiled pan over a medium heat until golden brown. Set aside until the meat is tender, about 45-50 minute mark, and add them then.  

Once the quince has been added, season with lemon juice, sugar, saffron (if using), salt and pepper to taste and cook without stirring for the final 10 minutes or so.  

Serve with rice. 

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