Beef with quinces

Quinces have a beautiful aroma and complex flavour, but they are some times an acquired Taste. However, in this sweet and savoury recipe they win everyone over, including uninitiated. You do not need to serve anything else with this dish.

Server four

Juice of ½ lemon

2 or 3 large quinces , total weight about 1 kg/2 ¼ lb

75 ml /5 tbsp extra virgin oil

1kg/ 2 ¼lb good-quality feather steak (see tip) cut into large slices

175ml/6floz/ ¾ cup white wine

300 ml/ ½ pint/1 ¼ cups hot water

1 cinnamon stick

45 ml/3 tbsp demerara (raw)sugar mixed with 300 ml/ ½ pint/1 ¼ cup hot water

1 whole nutmeg salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan. When it is almost smoking, brown the meat on both sides, turning the pieces over once. As soon as all the meat has browned, lower the heat , pour the wine over and let in bubble and reduce slightly.

2.Pour the hot water into the pan and add the cinnamon stick. Cover the pan and cook over a gentle heat for about 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3.Have ready a bowl of water acidulated with the lemon juice. Using a sharp cook's knife,quarter each quince vertically. Core and peel the pieces and drop them into the acidulated water to prevent them from discolouring.

4. Lift the quinces out of the acidulated water, slice each piece vertically into 2 or 3 elongated pieces. Spread half the quince in slices in a single layer in a large frying pan, pour half the the sugared water over and cook them gently for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until all the liquid has been absorbed and they start to brown and caramelize

5. Spread the caramelized quince slices over the meat in the pan and repeat the caramelizing process with the remaining quince slices

6. Having added them to the meat, finely grate about one-quarter of a whole nutmeg over the top. If necessary, add more hot water to cover the quince slices.

7.Cover the pan and cook for 3o minutes more until both the meat and the quince slices are meltingly soft and sweet. Do not stir the mixture after the quince has been added as it can easily break or disintegrate; instead, shake the pan from side to side occasionally so that the meat is prevented from sticking to the base.

Serve hot

Cooks tip

Feather steak is a tender cut of beef, from between the neck and rib, near the chuck. It is particularly good for braising. If you can't find it, use stewing or braising steak instead.