In Greek: χοιρινό με κυδώνια και δαμάσκηνα, pronounced hee-ree-NO meh kee-THOHN-yah keh thah-MAHS-kee-nah
Quince is a favorite fruit for making sweets as well as for stewing. They are in season for a short time during late autumn to early winter, so this dish is a cold weather treat. Quince are astringent and many recipes call for added sugar. In this recipe, the prunes provide the neeeded sweetness.
Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup of olive oil
- 2 1/4 pounds of quince, peeled and cut in wedges
- 2 1/4 pounds of lean pork, cut in 2 inch pieces
- 1 large onion, grated
- 1/3 cup of red wine
- 2 allspice berries
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 cup of water
- 6-7 large prunes
- ----------
- water as needed
Preparation:
In a stew pot or dutch oven, sauté the quince until lightly browned in half the oil. Set the quince aside.
In a clean pot, brown the pork well in the remaining oil, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same pot (using any remaining oil), sauté the onion until translucent. Add the pork, wine, and allspice berries. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. (If more liquid is needed, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of boiling water.)
Dissolve the tomato paste in 1 cup of water and add to the pot along with the prunes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the quince, reduce heat to a slow boil and cook until the sauce thickens.
Yield: serves 6
Serving note: My family looks at prunes with suspicion, so I remove them before serving (see photo).
- Tip: Keep peeled, cut quince in a bowl covered with water until ready to use. They turn dark when left in the open air.