A native of Mexico, vanilla pods are the product of a fleshy-leaved vine that climbs the trees of tropical forests. They can grow to 50 feet (15m) or more and, like many other products from that part of the world, they were brought back to Europe by the Spanish conquistadores (conquerors).

The original vanilla plants that came to Europe did not produce pods, but were grown as hot-house plants that were appreciated for their delicate pale yellow-green flowers. In their native country they were pollinated by an indigenous species of bee, but it was not until the middle of the 19th century that it was discovered, reputedly by a former slave on the French-governed South Pacific island of Réunion, that the plants could be pollinated by hand to produce vanilla pods. They are now produced commercially in several countries, the largest producer being Madagascar.

Vanilla cultivation is labour intensive, hence its high price. The plants are trained to grow much lower as the flowers have to be pollinated by hand within hours of opening. They are left on the vine for up to nine months, and are picked while still unripe. Then they undergo a long curing process.

Good vanilla pods should be dark brown, almost black, shiny, waxy and supple. The pods can be slit along the side and the hundreds of tiny seeds they contain can be scraped out with the tip of a knife and used in ice cream, custards, cakes and, surprisingly, savoury dishes, such as my pork and rice recipe.

They can be used to infuse milk and to flavour other things, and a scraped-out pod buried in a jar of caster sugar will perfume the sugar for a multitude of sweet uses. Vanilla also has a strong affinity with anything chocolatey.

Vanilla extract, which has a wonderful aroma, is made by macerating the pods in alcohol, but vanilla essence, much more concentrated, should be used sparingly. Vanilla flavouring is a synthetic product.

You can, of course, buy both vanilla beans and tiny bottles of pure vanilla extract here, but when visiting the UK I usually bring back a large bottle of extract and a jar of vanilla bean paste. The paste is lovely – dark and syrupy with millions of tiny vanilla seeds, and one tablespoon is supposed to be the equivalent of one vanilla bean.

I don’t think it is available here, so I now buy it on the internet. A jar of paste contains the equivalent of about eight vanilla beans, so it is cheaper than buying individual beans and worth it if you use them a lot. I buy Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste simply because that was the brand I used to buy in England, but there are several other brands to choose from.

Vanilla pork with apples and fragrant rice

(Serves 4)

1 vanilla pod, slit and seeds scraped out
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp each soy sauce and balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Black pepper
1 large pork fillet, about 600g, trimmed of fat and sinew
300g basmati rice
Sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
600ml chicken stock
2 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks and 4 whole cloves
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
Cornflour to thicken

Mix together the vanilla seeds, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, the soy and balsamic vinegar, sugar, half the garlic, and a grind of black pepper, then add 100ml of water. Put the pork into a large plastic bag, pour in the vanilla mixture, seal the bag and leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

Rinse the rice in several changes of water, leave to soak for 30 minutes, then drain. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan with a tight-fitting lid and fry the onion until soft. Add the rest of the garlic and fry for a minute more. Add the rice, 400ml of the stock, the whole spices and the deseeded vanilla pod.

Bring to the boil, put the lid on, turn the heat down very low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to stand, still covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the whole spices, transfer the rice to a serving dish, cover and keep warm.

While the rice is soaking and cooking, preheat the oven to 220˚C, take the pork out of the bag, pat it dry with kitchen paper and reserve the marinade. Heat a tablespoon of oil in an ovenproof skillet and fry the pork, turning until it’s browned all over.

Pour over the reserved marinade, put the pan in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through. Take the pork out, wrap it in foil and keep warm. Add the rest of the stock, the apples and the remaining teaspoon of vanilla extract to the pan, and cook gently until the apples begin to soften, turning frequently, then thicken with a little cornflour dissolved in water.

Taste and season if necessary. Carve the pork and serve with the apple sauce and rice.

Vanilla mousse

(Serves 4 to 6)

1 vanilla pod or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
450ml milk
300ml cream
2 tbsp cornflour
60g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
4 tsp gelatine

Split the vanilla pod down one side and scrape out the sticky seeds with the point of a knife. Pour the milk and cream into a pan and add the vanilla seeds and pod. Heat slowly until very hot but not boiling, then leave to stand and infuse for about 20 minutes. If you’re using vanilla extract, just stir it into the hot milk – you don’t need to let it stand.

Beat the cornflour, sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk, then pour the milk on to the egg mixture, beating well. Return it all to the pan and bring it slowly to the boil, stirring all the time. Simmer for a minute and leave the custard to cool.

Put three tablespoons of water into a cup, sprinkle on the gelatine and let it soak for a few minutes. Stand the cup in hot water and stir until the gelatine is completely dissolved, then stir the gelatine into the custard.

Dab a wad of kitchen paper in a little sunflower oil and lightly grease a one-litre mould or dish. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, then gently fold them into the custard. Pour it all into the mould and chill for several hours or, better still, overnight.

Run a table knife round the inside of the top edge of the mould to loosen it, then dip the mould in hot water for a second, invert it on to a serving dish and turn the mousse out. I had a bag of summer fruits in the freezer which I defrosted and sweetened and served with the mousse, together with some crunchy biscotti, but any sharp fruit, like plums or apricots, will go just as well.

Vanilla and chocolate chip cupcakes

(Makes 12 large cupcakes)

180g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
180g softened butter
180g caster sugar
3 large eggs
3 tsp pure vanilla extract
100g pack chocolate chips
200g soft butter or margarine
400g icing sugar
Milk

Heat the oven to 180˚C and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, together with a spoonful of flour, beating well between each addition. Fold in the rest of the flour, then add two teaspoons of the vanilla extract and 60g of the chocolate chips.

Divide the mixture between the baking cases, filling them about two-thirds full, and bake for about 20 minutes until firm to the touch and a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and cool.

Beat the soft margarine and the remaining teaspoon of vanilla extract together, then gradually beat in the icing sugar until you have a light, fluffy and spreadable frosting, adding a tablespoon or two of milk if necessary. Either pipe swirls of frosting on the cakes or spread it on with a palette knife. Sprinkle the cakes with the rest of the chocolate chips and chill until set.

Chocolate and vanilla tarts

(Serves 6)

350g sweet shortcrust pastry
1 egg white, lightly beaten
500ml milk
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp sugar
4 egg yolks
120 g dark chocolate, melted
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange-flavoured liqueur (optional)
120ml cream
2 tsp caster sugar
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Icing sugar and grated chocolate to decorate

Cut the pastry into six equal pieces and roll them out thinly to line six individual tartlet tins about 11 or 12-centimetres in diameter, then chill for at least half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 200˚C and put a baking sheet in the oven. Prick the bases of the tarts lightly with a fork, line them with rounds of greaseproof paper and baking beans, stand them on the hot baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, brush the tarts with the egg white and return them to the oven for another five minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.

Heat the milk until hot but not boiling. Beat the cornflour, sugar and egg yolks together until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract and mix well, then beat in the hot milk and return it all to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, lower the heat and simmer for a minute or two, then stir in the liqueur if using.

Take the tarts out of their tins and stand them on a baking tray. Divide the chocolate custard between them and when they have cooled down, put them in the fridge.

Beat the cream with the caster sugar until it stands in soft peaks, stir in the vanilla seeds or extract and top each tart with a big splodge of vanilla cream. Dust with icing sugar and a sprinkling of grated chocolate and serve.