4 quinces
½ lemon
Olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g/14oz lamb mince
1 cinnamon stick
Seeds from 6 cardamom pods, crushed
½ tsp allspice berries, ground
1 tsp dried mint
3 tbsp pine nuts
100g/3 ½ oz feta
A handful of mint leaves, to serve
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Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6. Peel the quinces, then slice off the top and use a sharp knife and a teaspoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving a 2cm/1in edge; discard the scooped-out flesh.
Place in a bowl of water and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon to prevent them turning brown.
Add a good splash of oil to a deep saucepan and add the onions and a pinch of salt. Sweat the onions for 10 minutes until softened. Season the lamb mince, then turn the heat up to high and add the lamb and garlic and fry until the lamb begins to colour.
Turn the heat down a little and stir in the chopped quince, the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, dried mint and pine nuts. Fry for a few moments, then add a good splash of water and simmer until the quince begins to soften. Season to taste.
Take the quinces out of the water and remove a slice from the bottom of each so they sit flat, then place in a baking tin that fits them tightly.
Spoon the lamb into the quinces and push down.
Add a splash of water to the bottom of the pan, then cover with foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes remove the cover, baste the quinces with the juices, then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes until they begin to colour.
Crumble over the feta and rip over the mint before serving.
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