Happy November! Welcome to edition #11 of a 12-month series celebrating the seasons! Throughout this series I'll be highlighting my favorite seasonal produce and offering simple recipe suggestions. Today’s newsletter is a special edition, devoted to two glorious recipes that utilize the season’s finest fruit: quince.
Quince, autumn’s forgotten fruit, holds within its golden skin the poetry of the season. With a fragrance that dances between spiced apples and delicate blossoms, quince enchants as it simmers, releasing its aromatic essence like a whispered secret in the kitchen, blushing as it cooks, as if shyly revealing its treasures.
This fruit takes its time with the gentle alchemy of slow cooking serving as a reminder that the most meaningful transformations unfold gradually.
This is a long post, so feel free to view via the website or app if the email cuts out.
Before we dive into the recipes (scroll to the bottom if you’re in a hurry!) here’s a list of the season’s best produce to look out for at your local market.
November Produce
Pears - For dessert, pears work well baked in a spiced tart or galette with nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom. For the perfect dinner party hors d’oeuvre, try thinly sliced pears paired with blue cheese and a drizzle of honey, served on crostini or nestled in delicate pâte brisée tart shells.
Pumpkin - Make my pumpkin-pie-for-people-who-hate pumpkin pie. It’s spiced, surprisingly delicate and very moreish.
Brussels Sprouts - Shredded raw Brussels sprouts make a great salad with apples, walnuts, parmesan and a mustard vinaigrette.
Another favorite of mine is my shaved Brussels sprouts salad with green tahini dressing and a brown butter pumpkin crumb. Recipe here.
Kale - Cavolo nero adds a deep, earthy flavor to chicken pies, bringing a hint of bitterness that balances the richness of the filling beautifully. Here's a scrumptious, fuss-free recipe for my chicken filo pie.
Persimmons - Slice fresh ripe persimmons into salads with pomegranate seeds and goat cheese.
Bitter leaves - Radicchio and chicory make a fantastic, simple salad, especially when paired with a bright, sweet-tart pomegranate vinaigrette. They’re an ideal side for roast meats—I particularly love them alongside guinea fowl or pheasant.
A note: In last week’s newsletter I created a hyper-seasonal adaptable menu that caters for: lunches, dinners, desserts and a very delicious hot beverage. 17 recipes in total!
I focussed on zero waste and utilizing ingredient/component prep so that you can select options that not only satisfy your cravings, but also save you precious time during your busy week. If you’re interested, click here to get cooking.
My Latest Collaboration
Before we dive into the recipes, I’m excited to share my seasonal menu collaboration with Polpo—a limited-edition Autumn Cicchetti Board, available from 3-6 pm daily, throughout November. Enjoy two spiced apple Aperol spritzes paired with a (very) delicious curated selection of house-made, seasonal aperitivo snacks including fried pumpkin ravioli with maple curried mayonnaise.
Polpo: A Venetian Cookbook (of Sorts)* is a treasured, sauce-stained favorite in my kitchen, just as it is for so many others. It’s beautifully written.
Polpo’s philosophy of focussing on humble, honest food aligns perfectly with how I cook at home, every day. I’ve always believed that with recipes, less is often more—it’s best to let the ingredients and the care with which they’ve been prepared do the talking. Collaborating with a restaurant of such legacy is both an honor and a privilege.
If you’re in London, you can book your table here!
A Celebration of Quince
Right, let’s cook! As mentioned earlier, I’m excited to share two delightful quince recipes. The first is a chicken, apple and potato bake that makes use of the wonderfully spiced leftover quince syrup from the dessert*, which is an autumnal pavlova adorned with saffron-poached quince and other seasonal fruits. As this is an especially busy time of year for entertaining, I have crafted these recipes with feasts and dinner parties in mind. Although the visual showstopper is, of course, the 17th-century Dutch painting-esque pavlova, the heart of the meal lies in the rustic chicken bake, which satisfies something deep in the soul.
*If you don’t make the autumnal pavlova, simply substitute the quince syrup (leftover from poaching the quince) for apple syrup or even apple juice/cider.
We’ll begin with the chicken bake, and at this point I feel obliged to confess that I change not only the quantities, but also the contents of this recipe every time I make this dish. Once, I tossed in leftover chargrilled red peppers and halloumi, and it tasted delightful.
Chicken, Apple and Potato Bake (with leftover spiced quince syrup)
Ingredients
10-12 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
4 large apples, sliced
1 kg (2 lbs) potatoes, cut into chunks
1 head of garlic, top cut off
50 ml leftover quince syrup (scroll below for the dessert recipe, however, if you don’t plan on making the pavlova, you could always substitute the quince syrup with apple juice, cider or a spiced syrup etc)
50 ml maple syrup
50 g unsalted butter
1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
A generous drizzle of olive oil
Salt, to taste (don’t be shy, all that lovely syrup needs a salty counterpart)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cinnamon and nutmeg (or a homemade pumpkin spice blend)
Pair with a radicchio salad.
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt. Allow them to rest at room temperature for at least 15-25 minutes. Pat dry once again to ensure crispiness.
In a large baking dish, combine the potatoes and sliced apples. Drizzle with olive oil, quince syrup (or whatever substitute you have) sprinkle with salt and, using your hands, mix to combine. Add the head of garlic. Place the chicken thighs on top and sprinkle the skin with a touch of spice.
Bake for 30 minutes. After this time, remove the dish from the oven and layer the chicken skin with knobs of butter and maple syrup. Drizzle a little apple cider vinegar around the potatoes and apples for a tangy kick.
Increase the oven temperature to 220°C (200°C fan) and return the dish to the oven. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the chicken is deeply golden, crispy and piping hot. Some of the edges may be a little charred, this only adds to the depth of flavor.
Autumnal Pavlova with saffron poached quince
For the dessert, I’ve partnered with the remarkable fragrance house Ffern (a fragrance maker focused on using natural ingredient) to share a treasure of a recipe: Autumn spiced meringue adorned with saffron and cardamom poached quince and seasonal fruit, layered under a thick, undulating lemon curd and a cloud of cinnamon and nutmeg vanilla chantilly cream. It's a perfect homage to the season’s flavors and aromas.
An inspiration
What you might not know is that I have an established obsession with scent—whether it’s perfume, candles or flower gardens. Perfume often serves as an unexpected muse to my cooking, enticing me to wander into shops where the fragrance notes wafting from a myriad of exquisitely packaged bottles spark new culinary ideas. Each scent holds the promise of inspiration, nudging me to explore the intersection of flavor and aroma. This fascination often ignites and shapes concepts, as seen in my latest recipe inspired by Ffern Autumn 24. Carefully crafted in Somerset in small batches, this deep, heady fragrance captures autumn’s essence with golden quince, soft pear-like notes and floral hints of jasmine and davana, all resting on a warm, spiced base of myrrh and caraway seed.
Meringue, often neglected during the chill of autumn and winter, is more often linked to sun-kissed summer berries and Eton mess. Yet, it has a rightful place at festive gatherings such as Thanksgiving. A dramatic, pillowy cloud that crunches just so, it serves as a delightful centerpiece on any table, topped with rich, decadent seasonal fruit. Paired with spiced poached quince and a lemon curd that dances between sweet and astringent, this indulgent creation is a glorious reminder that whimsy most certainly has a seat at the autumn table. Here’s how to bring this confection to life...
Ingredients
Spiced Meringue
4 egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1 tsp cornflour
1-2 tsp vanilla paste
Pinch of salt
1-2 tsp spice blend (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
Cinnamon and nutmeg vanilla Chantilly cream
500ml double cream
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 pinch of cinnamon & nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla paste
Poached quinces
3-4 large quinces
1 and ½ litre water
250g caster sugar
Juice of 1 lemon, plus the zest
1 cinnamon stick
A few strands of saffron
A few pods of cardamon
Lemon curd
170 g/6oz/ ¾ cup caster sugar
113 g/4oz/ ½ cup unsalted butter
4 med-large eggs, beaten
2 large lemons, zest and juice
To Top
Poached quince (or pear)
Figs
Grapes
Seasonal fruit
Method
Begin by preparing the poached quince. Start by placing water, lemon juice, lemon zest, cardamon, saffron and a cinnamon stick in a pan over low heat. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves.
Whilst that simmers, peel the quinces, quarter them and remove the cores.
Add the quince quarters to the syrup, then cover with a parchment paper cartouche (a round piece of parchment with a small hole in the centre to let steam out). Let this simmer for approx. 1hr 30 - 2 hours, until the syrup thickens and the fruit becomes tender as it turns to a deep blush red. Your kitchen will smell like heaven.
Whilst the quince cooks, make the meringue. Preheat the oven to 140C/ fan 120C (depending on your oven, but with meringue you always want to cook it low and slow). Start by lining a baking tray with baking parchment. Then, draw a circle measuring approx. 8-9” (20-23cms). Now you’re ready to start whisking the egg whites with a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, before gradually adding 250g of caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking until the mixture is glossy. Mixing on low speed, add the cornflour, then the spices, followed by the vinegar until combined. Then, spread the meringue on the baking parchment circle building the edges slightly to create a dip in the centre.
Bake for 45 mins - 1 hour, then turn off the oven, open the door and leave the meringue inside to cool completely.
Whilst the meringue cooks, make the lemon curd. Place the sugar and lemon zest in a medium size heatproof bowl. In a smaller bowl vigorously whisk the lemon juice together with the eggs. (It is important that the lemon juice and eggs are thoroughly combined to avoid ending up with flecks of cooked egg white in the curd.) Once combined, pour the mixture over the sugar and zest and mix. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the mix. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water) and whisk until thickened – approx. 15 mins. Do not be concerned if this takes a little longer.
When the meringue is cool, make the spiced chantilly whipped cream by whisking together cold heavy cream until soft peaks form then gradually add spoonfuls of powdered sugar along with the vanilla and spice.
Assemble the pavlova by filling the meringue with the curd and cream followed by a resplendent crown of autumnal fruits.
And that’s a wrap for this week, folks! Please, as usual, don’t hesitate to let me know what you’re cooking and any recipe suggestions for the highlighted seasonal produce.
With love,
Sarah
Love the idea of using the quince syrup..it's a special fruit for sure. Persimmons are the best in salad x
Amazing recipes! I would love to do the pavlova for a Christmas party with my friends, at what temperature should I put the meringue in a fan oven?