Autumn fruit salad with thyme and ginger

- 3–4 ripe plums
- 1 red apple
- 1 green apple
- 2 ripe pears
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 1 star anise
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1ÂĽ-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions:
You could also serve this as a light and healthy dessert or as part of a buffet brunch.
- Begin by making the thyme and ginger syrup: Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and put in a pan with the bean and the remaining syrup ingredients. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to a simmer and cook until the syrup has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the plums in half and remove the pits. Quarter the apples and pears and remove the cores. Place all the fruit in a large bowl. While the syrup is still piping hot, pour it over the fruit and toss well to coat. Let cool, then macerate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.