Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Peel the quinces if you want to dice them or roast them in halves, and scrub the skins under cool running water if you want to roast them in the skin. It's usually easier to peel a quince with a paring knife than a vegetable peeler.

3. Cut the quinces in half and cut out the cores. Dice the quince into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes, if desired.

4. Toss the quince with lemon juice or rub the cut surface of a lemon over the exposed flesh if you cut them in half.

5. Coat the quince with olive oil or butter and season them to taste. For both preparations -- savory or sweet -- lightly season the quince with kosher salt.

6. Add spices and herbs to taste. If you're going with a savory flavor profile, use floral herbs and spices, such as thyme and rosemary. If you're leaning toward sweet, go with woodsy, sweet spices, such as cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.

7. Place the quince in a shallow baking dish. If you want to cook the quinces in a little cream -- perfect if you roast them in halves -- place them flesh-side down in the dish.

8. Pour about 1/4 to 1/3 inch of cream, fortified wine or stock in the baking dish. Use stock if you're making a savory dish, and cream or fortified wine, such as marsala or port, for a sweet dish.

9. Add whole spices to the stock or cream, if desired. A few black peppercorns goes well if you're serving the quince with meat or chicken. Use floral aromatics, such as whole cloves, star anise or 1/3 of a cinnamon stick, if you're making sweet quince.

10. Roast the quince for 20 minutes and stir them or turn them over if you cut them in half. If you want to add brown sugar, do so now. Roast the quince for another 20 minutes.

11. Take the quince out of the oven or brush on a honey, molasses, maple syrup or citrus glaze on them.

12. Return the quinces to the oven if you glazed them. Cook until the glaze caramelizes, about 5 to 10 minutes.

13. Finish the quince with a touch of balsamic vinegar, freshly chopped herbs or finely shaved Parmesan, to name a few options, if you took a savory route. Savory quince complement meat dishes or vegetables.

    Finish the quince with citrus zest, fresh whipped cream or toasted and chopped nuts, if desired, if you went with a sweet interpretation.