Recipe: Quince and Coriander Syrup

Recipe Source: Atkinson, Catherine with Christine France and Maggie Mayhew.  400 Sauces.  Anness Publishing, London, 2007 p. 458

This is the second jam that I've tried to make from this book, and it's the second jam that I've been less than enthusiastic about.  In fact, calling it a jam is a bit of a misnomer, since it never set up properly.  It was less of a jam than a syrup.  I couldn't in good conscience include it in the Christmas Project, but I decided that I did like the flavor and kept it to use as a flavored syrup for drinks. 

Quince and Coriander Syrup (makes 5 8-oz jars; approx cost per serving not available.)

2 1/2 pounds quinces, coarsely chopped.  Leave the peels and cores intact, please!

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Juice and seeds of 2 lemons

3 3/4 cups water

2 pounds sugar, approx.

Equipment:

• Large bowl  (non-metallic)
• Jelly bag or cheesecloth
• Large saucepan
• Large stockpot
• Boiling water canner
• 5 8-oz home canning jars, with lids and bands
• Ladle

1. Combine the quinces, lemon juice, lemon seeds, coriander seeds and water in the saucepan.  Bring to a boil , cover and simmer gently for about an hour and a half.
2. Pour into the jelly bag (or make your own out of cheesecloth) and leave to drain overnight. 
3. Prepare your canning equipment.  Put the jars into the stockpot, cover with plenty of water, add the lids and bands and heat to 180 degrees.  Maintain 180 degree temperature for at least 10 minutes.  Fill the boiling water canner with water and heat to 180 degrees. 
4. Measure the strained juice into a clean pan. 
5. Add 1 lb sugar for every pint of juice.
6. Heat over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly.
7. Increase the heat and boil rapidly 5 - 10 minutes, without stirring, until the syrup is thickened.
8. Ladle into jars and process in the boiling water canner 30 minutes. 
9. Cool, label and store.

Comments

[hope chest]

This is the syrup that I have been craving for. I haven't made some because of my busy schedule.

[Loretta Beavis]

Why do you have to use the lemons (juice) when you have the quince? Can I leave it out and just ad more quince liquid? I'm looking for herbal, quince-y recipes where the quince IS the lemon!

Thank you

[Fearless Kitchen]

Loretta - A lot of jam recipes call for the lemon, presumably because of the pectin and because the citric acid acts as an additional preservative. Since quince has plenty of pectin, I'm guessing that the lemon is there for the citric acid (vs. the natural acidity of the quince.)

The coriander in this recipe is coriander seed, so it's less herbal than you might like. I did a Quince and Rosemary Jelly (http://www.fearlesskitchen.com/2010/12/recipe-quince-and-rosemary-jelly.html) that I really liked - you could try changing out the herbs. I believe - again, I'm not a chemist - that the vinegar here both acts as an additional preservative and helps to prevent discoloration.