Chilled Fruit Champagne Soup with Crystallized Ginger

Ingredients

2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 ripe yet firm peach, pitted and roughly chopped
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 fresh orange juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup Extra-Dry or Demi-Sec Champagne
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions

In a 2-quart heavy pot, combine the apples, peach, water, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, 1/4 cup mint leaves and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to mediumlow and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Transfer to a clean container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

Stir the Champagne into the soup. Ladle into 6 small, chilled bowls, and garnish each with a teaspoon of mint and a teaspoon of chopped crystallized ginger. Serve immediately, either as a firstcourse or a dessert.

Yield: 1 quart: about 4 - 6 servings