Dulce de Alcayota - Spaghetti Squash Preserve
Alcayota is a member of the pumpkin family and is very popular in Chile. It is an oblong fruit about 12 inches long with green skin and whitish pulp. It is known in the United States as spaghetti squash due to the long fibers of the pulp.
1 large spaghetti squash (3 to 4 pounds)
3 pounds sugar (same weight as squash pulp)
1 tablespoon orange rind, julienned
6 whole cloves
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Bake whole squash in a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes to loosen the tough skin. Cut the squash lengthwise, discarding the seeds. Move all the pulp into a heavy saucepan and separate the strands of fibers. Pour sugar over the pulp and allow to marinate for 15 minutes so that the juices are released. Add orange rind and cloves, bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Let sit overnight. The following day, simmer again for another 30 minutes, stirring constantly to keep the preserve from sticking to the bottom, add the chopped walnuts and serve cold.
Dulce de Membrillo - Quince Preserve
This preserve is very solid and can be molded into fancy and decorative shapes.
8 cups quince, peeled, diced, seeds separated
5 cups sugar, approx.
Quince should not be too ripe, slightly green and acidic is better. Peel and dice the fruit, put the seeds in a cheese cloth bag. Save peels for Jalea de Membrillo (recipe to follow). Simmer the quince and seeds in 8 cups of water until tender; about 10 minutes. Remove the fruit and seeds from the water, discard the seeds and save the cooking water (extract) for Jalea de Membrillo. Puree the fruit pulp by passing it through a sieve. Measure the volume of puree and add the same amount of sugar. Simmer the fruit pulp, stirring vigorously to avoid sticking. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes. The final color should be golden brown. Pour the preserve into molds. Keep covered for three to four days to form a crust on top. Then cover tightly and cover indefinitely. Serve as a spread for toast or as a dessert with a slice of soft cheese.
Jalea de Membrillo - Quince Jelly
6 cups quince extract from the preserve
5 cups sugar, approx.
Add the quince peels to the quince extract and boil for about 10 minutes. Strain and measure the volume, add the same amount of sugar. Bring back to boil and simmer for about 40 minutes, until a syrup of the desired consistency is formed. When ready, the jelly will have a ruby color. Store in sealed, sterile jars.
