Active Time

　　20 min

　　Total Time

　　4 3/4 hr (includes chilling)

　　Brush against a lemon verbena plant and its long, narrow leaves will release a transcendently clean, lemony scent. A little of the herb goes a long way, and it plays well with both ripe summer fruit and the light dryness of rosé. All the elements come together here in a suave gelée.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 8 (dessert) servings

　　8 (4-inch) leafy lemon verbena sprigs plus 4 medium leaves, divided

　　2 cups dry rosé wine

　　1 cup sugar, divided

　　3 cups mixed summer fruit such as berries and thinly sliced nectarines or peaches

　　1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided

　　4 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (two 1/4-ounces envelopes)

　　1/3 cup water

　　Equipment: a 1 1/2-quarts nonreactive baking pan, loaf pan, or bowl or 6 (8-oz) glasses

　　

Step 1

Rub verbena sprigs in your hands to bruise leaves and stems, then combine sprigs with wine and 3/4 cup sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 1 hour.

　　

Step 2

While verbena mixture steeps, finely grind verbena leaves with remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor or an electric coffee/spice grinder. Gently toss fruit with verbena sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl. Let stand while verbena syrup finishes steeping.

　　

Step 3

Sprinkle gelatin over water and let soften 1 minute. Meanwhile, reheat verbena syrup until hot, then stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in macerated fruit with juices and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Chill in an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until cool and thickened (the texture of raw egg whites) but not set, 8 to 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Very lightly oil baking pan with vegetable oil (not necessary if pan is nonstick or if using individual glasses).

　　

Step 5

Pour gelée into baking pan and chill in refrigerator until set, at least 3 hours.

　　

Step 6

To unmold, dip pan in a larger pan of hot water 5 to 10 seconds to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate (do not unmold if using individual glasses). Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Gelée can be chilled up to 3 days (before unmolding).