INGREDIENTS

(serves one)

For the spiced figs
1 bottle Port
1 vanilla pod
1 cinnamon stick
1 lime leaf
1 lemon grass stalk
Pinch peppercorns
2 cloves
4 juniper berries
2 star anise
6 cardamom pods
6 prunes
Zest of 1 lime
1 bunch mint
1 bunch basil
200g sugar
20 figs

For the ice-cream (makes about 1 litre of ice-cream - 10-12 portions)
500ml crème anglaise
150g poached figs
300ml poaching syrup (from spiced figs)

For the tarte tatin (serves one)
3tbs caramel
5-6 fig halves
60-70g puff pastry,
thinly rolled and measuring 10cm diameter

To garnish
3tbs poaching syrup, fig ice-cream and1-2tbs vanilla rice pudding

METHOD

To make the spiced figs, simmer all the ingredients, except the figs, in a pan for half an hour. Leave to cool, then pass through a chinois.

Cut the figs in half, lengthways, and lay them in a pan with inside uppermost. Pour over spiced port and poach for about five minutes until just tender. Leave to cool and store in a Kilner jar until required.

To make the ice-cream, liquidise the figs with poaching syrup. Pass through a chinois and mix with 600ml crème anglaise, then churn it in a sorbetière.

To make the tarte tatin, line a 9cm flan tin with silicone paper. Cover base with caramel and place figs face down on top of caramel.

Place pastry on top of figs, tucking the excess down the sides of the tin.

Bake for 12-15mins at 215ºC. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes in a warm place. Turn out tarte onto the centre of a warm plate. Drizzle poaching syrup around the outside. Garnish with chilled rice pudding and a ball of ice-cream.

Clive Dixon