Here we go again: more alcoholic fruit. Although, to be honest, this is pretty G-rated stuff as far as the booze content goes. This recipe uses a small amount to begin with and then it cooks for so long that whatever alcohol remains dips down to a homeopathic amount (OK, not that small, but really only a taste). It’s adapted from one by Nigella Lawson, the O.G. of domestic goddesses,  found in her book, How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking, an intelligent and cheerfully gluttonous celebration of sugar and fat.

I’m not a big rum drinker myself, but the combination sounded intriguing – sort of Mediterranean via the Caribbean. To make it my own, I added a vanilla pod and didn’t cook the figs as long as I didn’t want then to turn to mush. I also processed my jars in the paranoid North-American style (boiled ‘em for 20 mins).

But really, folks, this is not so complicated. All these recipes follow the same formula: cook fruit in a little simple syrup, add your favourite spirit and voila! You have a tasty ice cream topper, gift or multi-purpose dessert ingredient.

So, here goes:

Vanilla figs in rum

2 1/4 lbs black mission figs

2 1/5 cups sugar

2 cups water

1 vanilla pod, split open

1/3 cup rum (plus 2 tbsp extra, if you like)

Wash your figs and set aside. For the syrup, combine water,  sugar and vanilla, dissolve sugar over medium-low heat then bring to a low boil and continue to cook for about 15 minutes so it reduces a little. Then add the rum and the figs, turn the heat down and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring gently from time to time so the fruit gets evenly cooked.

Carefully transfer the figs to your hot, clean jars with a large slotted spoon, bring the liquid back to a boil and reduce further for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Take it off the heat, remove vanilla and add the extra rum if you want to, then pour over your figs. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Done.