Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Fruit soups are a great item to make in the summer, especially now when the plums are so delicious. And I love the inclusion of tarragon to the flavor list. I like to garnish this with a little scoop of creme fraiche and a fresh tarragon sprig.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds (about 6) ripe red plums, plus 1 plum, skin on and cut into 1/4-inch dice for garnish
6 ounces raspberries, plus more for garnish
1 cup white wine or champagne
6 tablespoons sugar
3 sprigs tarragon, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier (optional)
1/4 cup water
Procedure
Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add plums; blanch until skin begins to peel, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove plums from water; place in the ice bath until cool. Remove plums from ice bath, reserving ice bath.
Peel plums, remove pits, cut into chunks, and place in a medium saucepan. Add the raspberries, wine, sugar, tarragon, triple sec (if using), and the water to the saucepan; cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low, and allow to simmer until plums are falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a clean bowl, and place in the reserved ice bath, stirring occasionally, until cold. Remove tarragon sprigs from cold mixture, and transfer mixture to a blender. Puree, working in batches if necessary. Serve garnished with diced plum, raspberries, and tarragon.
