What to do with quince, the mysterious fruit of autumn

Is quince the most mysterious fruit of autumn? The yellow bulbous fruit is a curious specimen in the greengrocer. To get the most of this autumnal fruit, slow-poach with spices and spoon it on top of honey panna cotta, or do as Sydney restaurant Icebergs do, and simmer it in chardonnay vinegar. Quince is equally delicious 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.