Bing Cherry Soup

• 4 pounds Bing cherries, washed
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 6 ounces candied orange peel or slices
• 8 cups white zinfandel, or 6 cups zinfandel and 2 cups water
• Sorbet (lemon or raspberry) or vanilla ice cream or sliced fresh fruit (peaches, plums or nectarines), for serving
• Candied orange peel or biscotti, for optional garnish

1. Put whole, unpitted cherries into a deep, wide, heavy pan.
2. (No need to remove stems.)
3. Add vanilla bean, candied orange, and wine or wine and water.
4. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half.
5. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a food processor in batches and pulse briefly, just until fruit is in very small pieces.
6. Transfer fruit, pits, stems and liquid to a fine-meshed sieve placed over a large bowl.
7. Press hard with a wooden spoon to extract all the liquid.
8. Cover, and chill 4 hours or overnight.
9. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls.
10. Put a scoop of sorbet or ice cream or a spoonful of sliced fruit in the center.
11. Garnish with candied orange peel or a biscotti, if desired.

bing cherries, vanilla bean, white zinfandel, sorbet, candied orange

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6877 (may not work)