José de Meirelles, executive chef of Les Halles and Le Marais in Manhattan, grew up in Portugal, where quince is used to make marmelada, a sweetened "paste" that typically appears in candies made around the winter holidays.

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds quinces
• approximately 5 pounds white sugar
• juice of 1 lemon

Peel and core quince. Then, chop the flesh of the quinces in large pieces and weigh them. Put them directly into a large pot with an equal weight of sugar and the juice of one lemon. Add enough water to cover them completely.

Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer over very low heat for two hours or until the color has turned dark red. Pass the cooked fruit through a food mill or purée it. In a pinch, you can push it through a sieve. Put the purée in a terrine, or a glass or ceramic container (metal or plastic will impart off flavors) and cover. Will last up to a month in the refrigerator.