Pantry
Quince paste
Also called dulce de membrillo, membrillo, marmelada, cotognata, pâte de coings
A firm, sliceable block of quince pulp cooked down with sugar until it turns deep amber-red and sets on the fruit's own pectin. It is sold in bricks or tins and cut with a knife like cheese.
Origin
Iberian. Spain calls it membrillo, Portugal marmelada, which is where the English word marmalade comes from. It travelled to Latin America with the colonists and is a pantry staple in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Mexico. In Argentina and Uruguay supermarkets sell it in large blocks next to sweet potato paste.
Flavour
Sweet and floral, with a tart, slightly astringent edge and a perfumed apple-and-pear smell. Better brands taste of fruit first and sugar second.
How it is made
Quinces are cooked whole or in pieces, sieved to a purée, then boiled with roughly their weight in sugar, stirring, until the paste pulls away from the pan. It is poured into moulds and left to set.
How to use it
Slice it and eat it with a firm cheese: manchego in Spain, queso fresco in Argentina, where the pairing is called vigilante. Melt it with a splash of water to spread in tarts such as pastafrola, or to fill pastries and turnovers. Warm it gently; boiled hard it goes bitter.
Storage
Unopened, it keeps months in a cool cupboard. Once cut, wrap it tightly and keep it in the fridge for several weeks. A white bloom of sugar on the surface is harmless.