Manchego Quince On A Stick:
Oh my GAWD!!!! I think I just died and went to cheese heaven. For the first time in my life I had Manchego Quince on a stick. It’s the first time because I’ve never seen them anywhere else in my time on earth. I was sitting home getting ready for the football game and wanted a batch of mozzarella sticks, but then thought it boring. “The same ol cheese sticks again?” is exactly what ran through my mind. Instead I jumped into action and paired my beloved manchego cheese with quince fruit paste, a flavor combination typically intertwined in Spain. Quince fruit paste goes by the Spanish name Membrillo, and is becoming very easy to find in bigger supermarkets and Mexican boutique markets. Once I settled on the flavor, I breaded the manchego quince stacks and fried them to a golden crisp.
Manchego Quince On A Stick was born, and is insanely popular with honey and Crema Mexicana. We gobbled them down and began dreaming of when I can make them again.
Ingredients for Manchego Quince On A Stick:
- 10 oz. Manchego
- 4 oz quince fruit paste
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup bread flour
- 1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs (plain)
- toothpicks
- sticks (for popsicles)
- 1.5 quarts vegetable oil
- Crema Mexicana
- honey
Directions:
- Cut Manchego and quince fruit paste into 1 inch strips. Then slice the manchego cheese down the middle to be able to sandwich a slice of quince fruit paste in between 2 slices of Manchego. Stack one slice of manchego, then add a slice of quince fruit paste, and top with another slice of manchego.
- Stick a toothpick through the stack, and set to the side.
- In a small bowl beat egg and milk together.
- Place flour in a bowl, then dip one cheese stack at a time in the flour to coat. Use the toothpick on either side of the stack to help to coat evenly.
- Dip floured stack in beaten egg mixture.
- Then dredge the stacks into the bread crumbs.
- Dip into the egg mixture again, and then for the final time in the bread crumbs.
- Lay on a tray and repeat until all stacks which now resemble sticks are finished.
- Place tray in freezer while you warm up the oil.
- In a heavy sauce pan or dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil to 370 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fry each stack/stick for a minute or until golden brown.
- Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
- Carefully pull toothpicks out, and if you’d like stick a popsicle stick into the bottom for easy handling.
- Drizzle with honey.
- Serve with crema Mexicana as a dipping sauce.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating.
- PERFECTION! 🙂
