Recipe: Roast Figs in Balsamic Syrup

I think this is probably the last Fig recipe of the year. I made this dish several days ago using fruit that looked fine, but from which it turned out that the flavour had all-but disappeared. For this recipe to fulfil its true potential, the dark, rich flavours of the syrup need to be offset by the concentrated flavour of the roast Figs.......and I'm not sure that the end-of-season offerings are quite good enough to carry it off. Worth trying, though, before Figs disappear once and for all until next summer.



Ingredients: 6 ripe Black Figs; 3 tablespoons of clear Honey; 200g sugar; 200 ml water; 1 teaspoon of ground Cinnamon; 2 Cloves; the inside scraped from 1 Vanilla Pod, or one teaspoon of good quality Vanilla Essence; 2 Star Anise; half a teaspoon of Orange Oil and half a teaspoon of Lemon Oil (or the grated zest from half an Orange and half a Lemon); 3 tablespoons of good Balsamic Vinegar.

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees C.

2. Trim the tops from the Figs, and cut a cross in the top of each one (as though preparing Brussels Sprouts). Place the prepared Figs in a baking dish.

3. Put all the remaining ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and cook at a rolling boil for three minutes. Spoon this mixture over the figs and bake uncovered for thirty minutes, basting the figs with the liquid every ten minutes or so.
When finished, the Figs should be quite soft when pricked, but should still keep their shape in the dish.

4. Leave to cool down, in their syrup, and then place in the fridge.

Serve chilled.