Quince

This easy casserole offers maximum nourishment. Serve with microwaved or baked sweet potatoes (start the sweet potatoes in the oven about 45 minutes before starting to bake the casserole) and a salad of dark greens and ripe tomatoes.

Quince is an ancient Roman fruit that looks like a cross between a pear and an apple. It has an amazing aroma when poached.

This is a Web-exclusive recipe for Epicurious from Chef Robert Harrison of Mills Tavern in Providence, Rhode Island. It's a great dish to make any day of the year, and perfect for a Super Bowl gathering or any party. If you don't have time to make quince jam, or can't find quince, you can substitute any fruit chutney.

In Greek mythology, the quince, with its intoxicating perfume, was the golden apple that Paris gave to Aphrodite, "the fairest of them all." Edward Lear's Owl and Pussy-Cat dined "on mince, and slices of quince, which they ate with a runcible spoon." Coming up with a recipe to match the stuff of legend is not the easiest thing in the world, but this ultra-simple creation is delicate and alluringly aromatic. Worthy, in fact, of the goddess of beauty and, served as a compote with a little whipped cream or Greek-style yogurt, suitable for eating with a spoon, runcible or otherwise.

Indigenous to the Andes, quinoa was called the mother grain by the Incas, who considered the plant sacred. And while much has been made of quinoa's nutritional properties, its fluffy texture and nuttiness in this recipe are a revelation. Because it comes together quickly and is full of bright flavors, this salad is sure to become a summer staple. It's worth seeking out the fresh hearts of palm, which have a vibrant snap, but if you cannot find them, do not substitute canned; instead, use chayote (see cooks’ note, below).

In this chutney-like compote, quince lends a ripe-pear creaminess, and pearl onions a lush sweetness, to tart cranberries.

Quince—hard and astringent when raw—becomes tender and slightly sweet as it cooks, making it a nice pairing for the Middle Eastern-spiced pork. This dish needs to be started at least two days ahead.

Baking flan slowly in a water bath gives it a silky, confection-like texture. Be sure to begin making this recipe one day ahead so it has time to chill overnight. For optimal flavor, remove the flan from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.

If you've never cooked with quince before, here's a great intro. It tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear.

Quinces take the place of apples, tarting up the classic dessert.

Serve with roast pork or cottage cheese.

With different hues of orange and gold, this dish makes a great holiday side.

Served with small scoops of ice cream and a pink-hued syrup, this fruit-filled dessert delivers a glorious finale to a special dinner. Strudel dough looks more difficult to make than it really is. The secret is using bread flour, a high-gluten flour, which allows you to stretch a small amount of dough over a large surface.

This recipe originally accompanied Lobster Curry. Quinces were once so prolific that they were preserved by salting, drying and packing in wickerwork containers. They were also candied and, as in this Cape Malay recipe, made into a sambal which is delicious with curry, as well as with smoked fish dishes. Unlike most sambals, which should be made shortly prior to serving, this may be made a day or two ahead.

Light and fluffy, these impressive desserts look, smell, and taste extraordinary — meringue gives them a cloudlike texture, while quince adds a delicious fragrance and beautiful pink hue. And they're very manageable for a small dinner party if you make your crêpes and prepare the quince ahead (see cooks' note, below). Bring them both to room temperature when you sit down to dinner; when it's time for dessert, you'll only need to beat your egg whites and assemble the soufflés for baking.

This fresh side is a delicious alternative to cranberry sauce.

This sauce, a mix of everyday and exotic, provides a sweet and tart contrast to rich meat or poultry.