Gerry DeBenedetti says vanilla beans are crucial to this recipe, so although they’re pricey, she insists this baked papaya is worth the splurge.

“I first came upon this dish in 1967 in Tahiti at a restaurant,” DeBenedetti wrote. “After I came home to Hawaii I worked on it to modify the recipe, and have been using it ever since. The sugary butter, smell of vanilla and the color of the papaya will get ooohs and ahhhs. The taste is superb.”

TAHITIAN PAPAYA

• 2 nice-sized papayas
• Vanilla bean, slit lengthwise then cut in half to make 4 pieces
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 pats butter
• 1 cup coconut milk

Heat broiler of oven. Peel papayas, then cut in half and remove seeds. Slice off a small piece of the rounded side of each half so that the papayas will sit steady in their bowls.

Place each papaya half in an ovenproof bowl. Fill each cavity with a piece of vanilla bean, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a pat of butter.

Put bowls under broiler on top rack. Broil about 5 minutes, until edges are browned and blistering (stay close and watch carefully to avoid burning). Carefully remove bowls from oven. (If not serving right away, turn off oven and let papaya keep warm in the oven as it cools.)

Just before serving, fill each papaya cavity with 1/4 cup coconut milk. It’s OK if some splashes into the bowls. Leave in the vanilla bean; your guests can suck on them for an extra treat. Serves 4.