Quince is the fruit Burgas cooks put in the pot, not just in the compote jar. Today it goes into a Sunday dish with pork, slow-braised until the meat turns completely tender, while the quince pieces caramelize separately and add sweetness. The dish takes about two hours, so it's a good choice for a Sunday, when you have time for slow cooking.
Ingredients
- 800 gpork shoulder, cut into cubes
- 4quinces (about 700 g)
- 2onions
- 2carrots
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 100 mlwhite wine
- 1 tsppaprika
- 1 pinchground cinnamon
- 2bay leaves
- 4 tbspvegetable oil
- to tastesalt and black pepper
- 400 mlwater or stock
- 2 tbspsugar
- juice of1/2 lemon
Method
Prepare the quinces
Wash the quinces, peel them and cut into eighths, removing the core. Toss them straight away in the juice of half a lemon so they don't turn brown.
Brown the meat
Cut the pork into 3-4 cm cubes. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat and brown the meat in batches, 5-6 minutes each, until golden on all sides.
Don't crowd too many pieces in at once, or the meat will steam instead of browning.
Soften the onion and carrot
Take the meat out, add the rest of the oil and fry the onion, sliced into half-moons, for 4-5 minutes, until it turns clear. Add the diced carrot and the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
Season and add liquid
Put the meat back in the pot, add the tomato paste, paprika, cinnamon and bay leaves. Pour in the wine and let it cook off for 2 minutes, then add enough water or stock to just cover the meat.
Braise slowly
Cover with a lid and cook at 160°C (320°F) in the oven for 60 minutes, or over low heat on the stove, until the meat is tender but still holds its shape.
Caramelize the quinces
In a separate pan, melt a little oil, add the sugar and the quince wedges. Fry for 5-6 minutes over medium heat, until golden brown and translucent.
Combine and finish
Add the caramelized quinces to the meat in the pot. Put it back in the oven uncovered for another 20 minutes at 180°C (350°F), until the sauce thickens and the meat is so tender a fork slides in with no effort. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
How to serve it
Serve warm with mashed potatoes or fresh crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Did you know
Quince comes from the Caucasus and western Asia and has been part of Bulgarian cooking for centuries, traditionally paired with pork and veal in autumn dishes.
Per serving (approx.): 460 kcal · protein 29 g · fat 27 g · carbs 24 g