Richard Olney’s Simple French Food is a great book in which to browse. By chance I came across this recipe which is both simple and different. It is made with dried figs but I look forward to making it with what could be our best fig harvest in years. If not to be made in Bath, then using the small sweet figs on Madeira will be my back up plan.

500g dried figs
½ liter red wine
2-3 small branches of thyme
3 tbsp honey

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan, cover, and simmer for an hour, turning the figs from time to time.

Remove the figs to a serving dish, take out the thyme and boil the remaining liquid until reduced to the consistency of a light syrup.

Serve tepid or chilled with a dry biscuit. Although Richard Olney might not have approved, I add a scoop of ice cream to this dessert.