The quince is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the family Rosaceae. It is a tree fruit that bears a deciduous pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear, and is bright golden-yellow when mature. The raw fruit is a source of food.
I find the quince similar in taste to both a pear and a golden delicious apple, with hints of honey crisp.
It’s quite delicious, yet highly underrated, mostly because it seems to be unknown when it comes to the American palate.
Thus, I through a delicious, steamy Lamb Loin Yellow Curry, I introduce you to the delights of fresh quince fruit.
And, just for kicks, check on the wine blog on my site and skim through the selections to often find aromas and tasting notes in the realm of quince fruit for white whites.
Yellow Curry Quince Lamb Loin
Yellow Curry Sauce:
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
sea salt
3 Tbs. yellow curry paste
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 13.5 oz. full fat coconut milk
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Heat the butter in a large pot until melted. Add the onion and salt, as well as the curry and cover all surfaces with the fat and the seasoning. Cover and cook 3-5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and soft, stirring occasionally. Add the smashed garlic.
Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a boil, eventually reducing to a simmer.
Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.
Quince:
2 Tbs. butter
2 large fresh quince, thinly sliced, discarding the ends
In a large pot, sauté the fruit in the butter until soft and and beginning to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside, reserving all juices and any extra butter.
Lamb:
2 lbs. boneless lamb loin, chopped into 2″ chunks
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1″ pieces
fresh cilantro
In the same pot as the quince was cooked, add 2 lb. lamb loin and 2 lbs. sweet potato.
Cover, stirring every few minutes as the lamb renders its fat and all surfaces become coated and cooked.
Once the meat is cooked through, stir in the Yellow Curry Sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Serve plated with the sautéed quince and fresh cilantro.
