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Quince treats for a blissful Autumn image

Quince treats for a blissful Autumn

Autumn is in full swing in the Southern Hemisphere, translating into cooler days infamous for their golden sunsets in the Cape Winelands. And on Leeu Estates (Leeu Collections’ 5-star Premium, flagship property), the bright golden-yellow theme was further celebrated with the harvesting of a bright deciduous pome fruit…

Quinces are known for their strong – but pleasant, tropical, and fruity aroma and their similarities in appearance to pears. Rich in Vitamins A, B and C, fibre, as well as minerals like potassium, copper, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and magnesium. It is no wonder that chefs have composed recipes to incorporate this delicious fruit in their kitchens. 

With La Petite Colombe settled in their new space on Leeu Estates, we asked celebrity chef Scot Kirton, if he could share a recipe incorporating our quince harvest bounty.  Without hesitation he penned down the following recipe keeping it local and staying true to the Winelands with a tempting cheese board:

QUINCE BUTTER, WINELAND CHEESE AND OAT CRACKERS
QUINCE BUTTER 
700g quince, peeled cored and chopped
350g muscadel
50g verjuice
50g honey
1 vanilla pod
100g verjuice 280g sugar
1 pinch malic acid
2g salt
18g butter
•    Simmer quince, muscadel, honey, vanilla, and 1st verjuice (50g) under a cartouche
•    When semi-soft, remove cartouche and reduce liquid
•    Blend until smooth and pass
•    Return to stove top in clean pot add remaining verjuice (100g), sugar and malic acid and cook down until sticky and thick
•    Whisk in butter and salt
•    Chill

OAT CRACKER
400g oats
175g cake flour
2g bicarbonate of soda
200g butter
15g salt
125g treacle sugar
1 egg
180g water
•    Toast the oats and blend until fine
•    Combine the dry ingredients and butter in big mixer 
•    Add the egg
•    Add water
•    Roll in between greaseproof sheets and freeze
•    Bake at 170C for 8-12 minutes
•    Cool

Serve with winelands cheese of your choice with a few oat crackers and quince butter.

Indulge in this delightful treat any day of the week with your choice of beverage, and should you wish to take the first steps into becoming a “cheese and wine pairing aficionado”. Allow us to share this one pairing suggestion: for your stronger cheeses i.e., Blue cheese, the Mullineux Straw Wine with its deep golden straw in colour and a rich viscous appearance pairs very well; the nose and palate is a complex enticing blend of dried peaches, apricots and marmalade, with savoury, nutty aromas of almonds, marzipan and honey.

Let us know how this recipe turned out for you! By sharing a picture on any of the social media platforms and tagging #liveleeu #leeulocallygrown

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