NORWEGIAN FRUKTSOPPA (dried fruit soup, six dessert servings)

1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise in half

1 cinnamon stick, about 3 inches long

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca (minute tapioca)

1 cup dried apricots, cut into ½ inch dice

1 cup pitted prunes, cut into ½ inch dice

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 large apple such as Golden Delicious, suitable for baking (don’t use Granny Smiths or McIntoshes; they’ll turn to mush) peeled cored and cut into ½ inch dice

4 tablespoons yellow raisins

2 tablespoons dried currants

2 pints vanilla ice cream (optional)

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1.  Put the vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, sugar and tapioca in a pot with 6 cups of water.  Bring to a simmer, stir until the sugar dissolves and remove from the heat.  Stir in the fruits and lemon zest and cover the pot.  Let cool for about 1 hour and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or more.

2.  Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean halves.  Scrape the tiny seeds out of the vanilla bean halves with a small knife and stir them into the soup.  Chill.  Stir the soup just before serving to redistribute the fruits since the apples tend to float on the top.  If you like, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle of each bowl.

NOTE: If you find that your knife gets sticky when cutting dried fruit, try rubbing the knife with a little vegetable oil every few minutes to make dicing easier.

from James Peterson, Splendid Soups