CONTRIBUTORS

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 5 MINS (PLUS COOLING) Note

“This is one of those dishes you won’t even think about being vegan – it simply doesn’t need anything else,” says Taylor Cullen. “This beautiful summer dish is acidic, sweet, crunchy and packs a punch. Using citrus herbs, you get that kick without the fruit, which I like.”

100 gm dark sugar, such as muscovado or grated gula melaka palm sugar 200 gm dried figs, cut into

1cm pieces

100 ml balsamic vinegar 6 figs, quartered

1 pomegranate, cut into half, arils removed

1-2 radishes (see note), thinly sliced on a mandoline (about 24 slices)

Oxalis (wood sorrel; see note) or other citrus-flavoured herbs

FIG-LEAF OIL 1 fresh fig leaf 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil MACADAMIA CREAM 70 gm (½ cup) macadamias

1 For fig-leaf oil, blanch fig leaf in boiling salted water

(20 seconds). Refresh in iced water, drain and dry on paper towel. Blend with oil in a blender until smooth (2 minutes). Strain through cheesecloth. Refrigerate in a sealed jar until needed.

2 Place sugar in a saucepan over high heat and shake pan occasionally until sugar melts and starts to smell slightly burnt (2-3 minutes). Add dried figs and vinegar and deglaze pan, scraping base (be careful as caramel may spit), then stir until slightly thickened (1-2 minutes). Set aside to cool.

3 For macadamia cream, blend macadamias and 125ml water until thick and smooth. Cover and chill until required.

4 Spoon macadamia cream onto platter and top with figs and fig caramel. Drizzle over fig-leaf oil, garnish with herbs and season to taste.

Choose from varieties including watermelon, French breakfast or red radish. Oxalis can be ordered at select greengrocers.