Bananas Foster
Credit: Rick Lew
SERVES 2
Paul Blangé, then chef at Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans, created this concoction in 1951, in honor of his friend Richard Foster, owner of the Crescent City's Foster Awning Company. Though it has become known as a classic dessert, the dish was originally served as a special during a Brennan's breakfast promotion.
1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. crème de banana liqueur
2 bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise, then crosswise
2 tbsp. white rum
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1. Put sugar, butter, and cinnamon into a medium heavy-bottomed skillet and heat over medium-low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until sugar and butter melt and sauce becomes smooth, 3–4 minutes. Add banana liqueur and stir well.
2. Add bananas, cut side down, to skillet and cook, spooning sauce over them frequently, until bananas begin to soften and edges begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Gently turn bananas and cook on second side for 1 minute more. Add rum and heat for 5 seconds, then carefully ignite sauce with a kitchen match. When flames die out, remove skillet from heat.
3. Divide bananas between two wide dessert dishes, add a scoop of ice cream to each dish, and spoon sauce over ice cream and bananas.
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