Serves: 4–6
INGREDIENTS
Figs
200 grams dried figs
2 tablespoons caster sugar
50 ml clear honey
½ vanilla pod or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
Pears
3 firm but ripe pears, peeled, halved lengthwise and cored
zest and juice 1 lemon
200 ml water
METHOD
Figs: Trim the stems from the figs and cut them in half. Put the sugar, honey, vanilla, spices and water in a saucepan. Use a little more water if your figs are very dry. Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes. Reduce to a simmer then add the figs and simmer for a further 10-12 minutes or until soft. Leave to cool in the liquid.
Pears: Cut each pear half into 4 pieces lengthwise and place in a saucepan. Add the lemon zest, juice and water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the fig compote to the pan and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the pears are tender but still holding their shape. Serve warm or cooled with vanilla ice cream.
Cook’s tip: The figs can be poached up to 10 days in advance.
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.