Poached Cherries - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 vanilla bean
3/4 cup sugar
1 lemon, zest of, pared (no white pith)
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 lbs cherries, pitted

Preparation

Combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan.
Place over low heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
Raise the heat to high and bring the syrup to a boil.
Stir in the fruit and the lemon juice.
Cover the fruit with a lid slightly smaller than the diameter of the saucepan.
This will keep the fruit submerged in the syrup.
Reduce the heat to low and cook about 8 minutes.
Allow the fruit to cool in the syrup, still covered, to room temperature.
Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
To serve:
May be served as is, garnished with whipped cream.
Or use as a garnish for cakes, filling for crepes or as an ice cream topping.