BRANDIED CHERRIES WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

1/3 pound sweet cherries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brandy
TO SERVE:
About 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

Cut cherries in half and pit them, working over a bowl to catch the juices. Set aside.

In a small heavy saucepan over medium high heat, bring the sugar and 1/4 cup of brandy to boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Continue boiling, without stirring, until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes.

Add the cherries and their juices to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the cherries are just heated through and slightly softened, about 1 minute.

Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of brandy and remove from the heat. Set aside for at least 5 minutes to cool slightly and allow the flavors to meld.

Spoon the warm cherries and sauce over the ice cream.

Servings: 2
Source: Gourmet's Fresh: From the Farmers Market to Your Kitchen