Recipe: Summer Fruits in Sweet Spiced Wine

SUMMER FRUITS IN SWEET SPICED WINE
Source: Weir Cooking in the City: More than 125 Recipes and Inspiring Ideas for Relaxed Entertaining by Joanne Weir
Servings: 6

SWEET SPICED WINE:
1 orange
1 1/2 cups late harvest dessert wine (Riesling, Gew rztraminer, Muscat, Sauternes)
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 1/4-inch slices fresh ginger root
FRUIT:
1 pint blackberries
1 1/2 cups green seedless grapes (about 8 ounces)
1 cup cherries, pitted (about 6 ounces)
2 nectarines, halved, pitted, and diced
2 plums, halved, pitted, and diced

PREPARE THE SPICED WINE:
Cut the peel from the orange with a vegetable peeler, making sure there is no white pith. Juice the orange.

Bring the orange juice, orange peel, wine, honey, vanilla bean, and ginger to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and discard the orange peel, vanilla bean, and ginger slices. Let cool for 30 minutes.

PREPARE THE FRUIT:
Meanwhile, place the blackberries, grapes, cherries, nectarines, and plums in a bowl. Pour the spiced wine over the fruit and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the fruit. Stir gently just until mixed.

TO SERVE:
Spoon the fruit into bowls and pour the sauce over the top.