Method

• Heat the oven to 180C
• Place the fruit cut side down in a roasting tin
• Whisk together the water, lemon juice, port and honey, and pour over the quinces
• Place the cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks in the tray
• Bake for about an hour, until sticky and golden
• Now turn the quince right side up and continue baking until very tender, about 15 minutes more
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the quince cool slightly
• Remove the pods and cinnamon stick**
• Transfer the cooking liquid to a pot and continue to reduce by about half or until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon
• Place the cooled fruit in a blender or food processor along with the cooled liquid and blend to a thick puree
• Spread into a lined dish of your choice and leave it to cool and set
• Serve with your favourite selection of Whitestone cheese or cured meat
• **You could stop at this point and serve these as they are spooned over vanilla bean ice cream or use them as a filling for a sweet pie or tart or as a condiment for the Bengali Fish Curry