What to do with quince, the mysterious fruit of autumn

Is quince the most mysterious fruit of autumn? The bulbous fruit is a curious specimen in the greengrocer, with a yellow exterior and tough, floury insides. But give it some slow and gentle cooking and something magical happens. To get the most out of quinces, slow-poach them with spices and spoon them atop panna cotta, or do as Jaci Koludrovic does and simmer them in chardonnay vinegar. The fruit is equally good when baked into tarts (the quince, rooibos and coriander seed tarts are a favourite), and you can't beat Peter Gilmore's recipe for quince, pecan and crème caramel trifle.

Don't limit yourself to the sweet options. Quince works well with roasted meat too – see Andrew McConnell's recipe for duck with spiced quince.