Fig and Raisin "Cream"

Description
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Ingredients

 * 125 g/4 oz well-soaked dried figs
 * 125 g/4 oz stoned raisins
 * 275 ml/10 fl oz/1 1/4 cups red wine (not too dry)
 * Good pinch of ground black pepper
 * 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 * 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
 * Soft dark brown sugar to taste
 * 3 teaspoons rice flour or cornflour
 * A drop or two of red food colouring
 * Salt to taste

Directions

 * Drain the figs, reserving the soaking liquid. Discard

the stalk ends of the fruit and put them in a saucepan

with the raisins and wine. Add the spices and a

teaspoon of sugar and bring to the boil. Take off the

heat and cool slightly, then turn the mixture into an

electric blender and process until smooth. Add a

little of the soaking water if the mixture is

stubbornly solid.


 * Cream the rice flour or cornflour with a little more

soaking water or wine and brighten the tint with a

drop of food colouring. Blend the 'cream' into the

dried-fruit puree. Then return the whole mixture to

the saucepan and simmer until it thickens slightly.

Season with salt and a little extra sugar if you wish.


 * The mixture can be served hot or cold over a sweet

cereal dish, firm stewed fruit or - best of all- ice

cream. Some versions in other manuscripts are stiffer

and make a good filling for tartlets or fried puffs.

One encloses the filling in pastry to make dumplings.