Spice French author recalled (5)
I believe the answer is:
sumac
'spice' is the definition.
(sumac is a spice)
'french author recalled' is the wordplay.
'french author' becomes 'camus' (Albert Camus).
'recalled' says the letters should be written in reverse (to recall can mean to bring something back).
'camus' back-to-front is 'SUMAC'.
(Other definitions for sumac that I've seen before include "Spice" , "purchase from garden centre?" , "Smoke-bush" , "Garden shrub" , "Shrub or small tree - Camus (anag)" .)