Quince, Blood Orange, Rosemary and Vanilla Syrup.

19 February 2012

Quince, Blood Orange, Rosemary and Vanilla Syrup.

I have been making lots of quince things recently: Paradise Jelly, quince rum, and also quince and summer fruits mincemeat.

Many of these recipes generated piles of quince peel, and normally these would go straight onto the compost pile. Lately, though, I have been thinking about wastefulness a little more consciously. Not that I'm wasteful, but more that I can be more mindful.

Soured cream, for instance. Where once it went down the drain, now it makes deliciously rich and tangy scones.

This is not a sacrafice. They're good. Better, even, than the old, non-soured cream scones I used to make.

It's satisfying and has me thinking - what else can I make that will get every last drop of goodness out of what I have?

Turns out quince is so full of goodness, it's easy. Take those scraps of peel and make a fragrant and flavorful syrup for a refreshing drink with sparkling water or soda. Use it to soak a cake to maintain moisture and add a tantalizing floral aroma. Make a simple powdered sugar glaze for pound cake or scones.

Creating something unique and delicious from kitchen scraps - fantastic!

Quince, Blood Orange, Rosemary and Vanilla Syrup.
Makes about 5 cups.

2 cups of quince peel
2 blood oranges
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 vanilla bean, split

3 cups white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon citric acid

You will also need sterilized jars to hold approximately 5 cups.

Put all the ingredients into a pot and add 5 cups of water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer on very low, with the lid on, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the orange rind is soft.

Turn off the stove and allow to cool in the pot.

Strain the large pieces out of the liquid, then pass the liquid through a very fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove all remaining solids. Discard the solids, and reserve the liquid, which should measure 4 cups.

Return the flavored liquid to a pot and add 3 cups of white sugar.

Warm gently and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, add citric acid and stir until dissolved. Bottle in sterilized containers. Store in the refrigerator or process according to your favorite canning instructions.

Keeps for up to a year.