verjus-poached quinces with fresh fig & honey-whipped ricotta
Almay Jordaan, Neighbourhood Wine
4
Ingredients
1 large quince, peeled & halved
500ml Mount Zero Chardonnay Verjus
100ml good quality bush honey
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 4 ripe, end of season figs
- 200g ricotta
Reduced honey cooking liquid reserved from the poached quinces
Pinch of ground cinnamon
A few cracked pistachios, for garnish
Directions
Combine the verjuice, honey & bay leaf in a saucepan just big enough to hold the quince halves laying flat (this is so that this small amount of poaching liquid actually covers the quince).
Poach gently, under a circle of baking paper, for an hour – anything quicker than this will result in a pale, undercooked quince.
When done, remove quince and set aside to cool. Continue reducing the cooking liquid by half to a syrup, then cool down as well.
Meanwhile, remove the core of the quinces, and cut in large segments. Combine with ripe, squishy figs.
Add a good splash of the cooking liquid and the cinnamon to the ricotta, whip until quite smooth and dollop over the fruit.
Drizzle with more syrup if you like, and sprinkle over pistachios.