This is my take delicious on a New Orleans classic. Bananas foster is a fabulous combination of bananas cooked in a spiced rum caramel sauce. The classic has been around since 1951 and was created by Ella Brennan at Brennan’s, a legendary restaurant on Bourbon Street, to honor Richard Foster.
My take on this recipe adds a little bit of cardamom and nutmeg to add some background flavors to the traditional cinnamon. The lightly floral notes of the cardamom play extremely well with the sticky brown sugar and rum caramel sauce. The nutmeg enhances the vanilla ice cream and buttery notes of the sauce as well. I also like to add some toasted walnuts for texture, crunch, and nuttiness.
Obviously, if you prefer you can omit the cardamom and nutmeg if you don’t like them or just don’t have them on hand. Same goes for the walnuts, or you can swap them out for another nut of your liking.
Finally, bananas foster makes the most delicious topping for poundcake, waffles, French toast, and pancakes……..
See the YouTube video here.
Bananas Foster
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or another heavy-bottom skillet
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- Lighter or long matches
Ingredients
- 2 bananas sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter half a stick
- 1/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 cup dark or spiced rum
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom optional
- 1/8 tps ground nutmeg optional
- pinch kosher salt
- vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Toast chopped walnuts in a dry skillet or the oven until lightly browned, set aside to cool.
- Heat a 10" cast iron or other heavy-bottom skillet over medium high heat.
- Melt the butter, then add the cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg and allow the spices to bloom for about 45 seconds to a minute.
- Add the brown sugar and vanilla. Cook whisking constantly until the sugar melts and the sauce becomes homogenous.
- Add the bananas cut side down and allow to cook for about 1 minute until lightly browned, flip and cook another minute on the other side. When you flip the bananas sprinkle the cut side with a little kosher salt – this will not make the dish salty it will just wake up all the flavors.
- Add the rum – if using a gas stove top you might want to turn off the flame and/or remove the pan from the stove.
- Carefully light the rum with a long lighter or long kitchen matches and shake the pan while the alcohol burns off.
- Once the flame subsides let the banana foster cool slightly and serve.
- To serve either spoon the bananas and sauce over vanilla ice cream in bowls and top with toasted walnuts or top the whole pan with 3-4 scoops of ice cream and toasted walnuts.
