Bananas Foster, a favorite New Orleans dessert, was created by chef Paul Blangé in the 1950s for Owen Brennan’s restaurant, Vieux Carré, in the French Quarter. Named for Richard Foster, the then chairman of the New Orleans Crime Commission, the mix of flambéed bananas in a syrupy rum sauce is a showstopper.
If you’re a New Orleanian old enough to remember NOPSI (New Orleans Public Service, Inc.), you’ve probably sampled some of the hundreds of recipes developed by home economists that the utility company published over the years; this bananas Foster recipe is one of them. It diverges from the original in two key ways: First, you’ll brush the bananas with lemon juice before you sauté them, preventing premature browning and adding brightness to the final dish. Second, it calls for white rum instead of dark rum. The lighter option has a freshness that prevents the sauce from being too cloying.
For dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of bananas Foster is de rigueur, but you can also ignite the mixture tableside and spoon it over French toast, crepes, or waffles for a brunch dish that’ll knock your socks off.
Editor's note: This recipe originally appeared on Epicurious in February 2009.
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