PINK GOOSEBERRY, PEACH, AND ELDERFLOWER SOUP WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Pink Gooseberry, Peach, and Elderflower Soup with Vanilla Ice Cream image

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 cup pink gooseberries (about 6 ounces)
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup elderflower concentrate*
1/2 cup sugar
2 small firm-ripe peaches (preferably white)
6 large fresh basil leaves
1 pint super premium vanilla ice cream
*available at some specialty foods shops and by mail order from Dean & DeLuca, tel. (212) 226-6800, ext. 268

Steps:

Pull off tops and tails of gooseberries and halve berries lengthwise. Transfer berries to a 1-quart heatproof jar or a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan bring wine, water, elderflower concentrate, and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and pour hot syrup over berries. Cool mixture. Chill mixture, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours, and up to 6.
Peel peaches and cut into very thin wedges. Gently stir peaches into berry mixture and divide among 6 soup plates. Thinly slice basil and sprinkle over soup. Scoop ice cream into soup.