Martín Fierro

Ingredients

Quince paste

• 1.5 kgquinces
• sugar, equal in weight to the cooked pulp
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1vanilla pod, optional

To serve

• 400 gfresh queso fresco, or a mild firm white cheese

Also

• a shallow tin, lined

Directions

1. Rub the fuzz off the quinces, wash them, and chop them roughly with skins and cores left in. Leave the skins and cores in. That is where almost all the pectin is, and it is what makes the paste set firm enough to slice.
2. Cover with water and simmer 40 minutes until completely soft. Equal weights is the traditional ratio and it is what makes the paste keep for months at room temperature.
3. Return the pulp and sugar to a heavy pan with the lemon juice and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly.
4. Stir it without stopping and use a long spoon. It thickens into a volcanic paste that spits scalding blobs, and it catches on the base within seconds if left.
5. Cook 45 minutes to an hour, until it turns from pale yellow to deep ruby and pulls away from the sides of the pan in a mass. The colour change is the sign it is ready.
6. Pour into a lined shallow tin, level the surface, and leave uncovered overnight to set. Let it set at room temperature and uncovered, because the surface needs to dry a little. To assemble, cut the set quince paste into slices about 1 cm thick.
7. Cut the cheese into slices of the same thickness and the same size. Serve at room temperature rather than fridge-cold, which flattens both flavours.

Technique

• Membrillo is sold ready-made everywhere in Uruguay and Argentina and nobody will judge you for buying it.
• The cheese should be mild and slightly salty rather than strong, so it balances rather than competes.
• The paste keeps for months wrapped, and improves in the first few weeks.

Substitutions

• Shop-bought membrillo or dulce de membrillo.
• Any mild fresh cheese: queso fresco, a young Gouda or a mild Cheshire.

Variations

• Vigilante, made with sweet potato paste.
• With dulce de batata and a strong cheese.
• Served with crackers as a savoury course.

History

Quince or membrillo paste eaten with fresh cheese, named after Jose Hernandez’s 1872 gaucho poem.

Frequently asked questions

What is Martín Fierro?

Martín Fierro is a dessert from Uruguay: quince paste with a slice of fresh cheese, simple finish. Quince or membrillo paste eaten with fresh cheese, named after Jose Hernandez’s 1872 gaucho poem.

How long does Martín Fierro take to make?

Martín Fierro takes 30 min plus overnight setting of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Martín Fierro?

Yes, within limits. Shop-bought membrillo or dulce de membrillo. Any mild fresh cheese: queso fresco, a young Gouda or a mild Cheshire.

What is the most important thing to get right in Martín Fierro?

Cut the cheese into slices of the same thickness and the same size. Serve at room temperature rather than fridge-cold, which flattens both flavours.