Quince paste, or membrillo in Spanish, is a fantastic accompaniment to a Spanish cheese board at a tapas party. Membrillo is traditionally served with Manchego (sheep’s milk) cheese and the sweet-salty combination is intoxicating! Membrillo is sweet like a jam but it has a really interesting floral taste that makes it a very unique and special treat. It is also delicious with goat cheese or any other soft, tangy cheese.
My favorite way to serve membrillo is with a good aged Manchego, crusty sourdough corn bread and paper-thin slices of sorrano (dry-cured Spanish ham that is similar to Italian prosciutto).
You can find membrillo at Whole Foods, Fairway or most grocery stores with a gourmet cheese section. There are also on-line sources, such as the Gourmet Food Store, which sells a 10.6oz package of homemade membrillo for $8.50 (plus shipping)
http://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/gourmetchocolate/gourmet-chocolate-details-7149.asp
If you like making jam you should have no problem making your own membrillo. Epicurious has a straight-forward recipe that is quite good if you reduce the amount of sugar to about 2 cups.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/QUINCE-PASTE-14630
This looks great! I have been dabbling in preserves lately, and will definitely give this a try once quince season arrives!
Also, have you ever heard of Hoshi Gaki? It sort of reminds me of this. It’s made by peeling and slow-drying hachiya persimmons… I’ll probably attempt making this too come fall. Yum!
So glad to find your post on membrillo. It’s often used in desserts in Argentina, but I had no idea that it was actually quince! Sounds excellent with sheep’s cheese.
I love this stuff, too. It’s SO good with manchego. However, I brought it to a work party, and no one would try it. Lawyers aren’t very adventurous, I guess!
Another delicious sweet/savory combination is aged gouda with fig jam. It’s amazing on a (savory) graham-type cracker.
How did you serve the membrillo? I have noticed that people are more apt to try something new if it’s pre-portioned into bite-size pieces. Try cutting the membrillo into small squares or triangles and putting it on a piece of cheese cut the same way. It creates a little more work for you, but it’s worth it if you’re able to introduce people to something new.
I also love fig jam! I’ll try it with gouda. I usually have it with chunks of parmesan. Delish.
I just read your “about” section and am trying to remove my foot from my mouth, as you’re an attorney. Lol. Sorry. I should avoid generalizations.
[...] Grove Chevre, and I breathed a sigh of relief. We bought a small round of it. Then I saw some membrillo and it was easy to find a manchego to go along with that. ADS had been bringing home that classic [...]
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