Tropical Fruit Soup

Ingredients

• 8  peppercorns black
• 1  cinnamon sticks (2 in.)
• 1 large egg white 
• 1 pint tropical fruit sorbet 
• 2 cups fruit (see notes)
• 4  quarter-size ginger fresh peeled thin
• 2 oz lemon grass fresh
• 4 servings mint sprigs rinsed
• 1.5 tablespoons orange peel grated
• 1 tablespoon rum 
• 1  star anise 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 0.5 cup coconut or dried shredded unsweetened
• 1 piece vanilla pod (2 in.)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• sieve
• blender
• spatula
• rolling pin

Directions

1. Put cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and peppercorns in a heavy plastic food bag; coarsely crush with a rolling pin.
2. Trim and discard root ends and coarse outer leaves from lemon grass. Chop tender white part of stalks.
3. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over high heat, combine 2 cups water, crushed spices, lemon grass, 2/3 cup sugar, orange peel, and ginger. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape seeds into pan and add pod. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let stand at least 1 hour.
4. Pour spice syrup through a fine strainer into a bowl; discard residue.
5. Add rum, cover, and chill until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
6. Meanwhile, in a bowl with a mixer on high speed, whip egg white until it holds soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and continue to beat until white holds distinct peaks. Fold in coconut.
7. Line a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet with cooking paper or parchment. With a narrow spatula, spread egg white mixture in a 10- by 13-inch rectangle.
8. Bake in a 350 oven until meringue is deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
9. Let cool on sheet to room temperature. Gently pull off paper, then break meringue into 4 or 8 equal pieces.
10. Spoon fruit equally into wide soup bowls and fill equally with spice syrup. Scoop sorbet into balls and add equally to bowls; insert meringue pieces into sorbet, and garnish with mint sprigs.