Thirty five thousand pounds of bananas are flambéd every year at New Orleans' Brennan's Restaurant to make one of their signature dishes, Bananas Foster.

The dessert was created in 1951 by chef Paul Blangé and named for the chairman of the New Orleans Crime Commission at the time, Richard Foster. Little did the chef know that his delicious banana dessert would become the most requested item on their menu.




This is a crowd pleasing, impressive and rich dessert. Everyone I know absolutely loves it!

Brennan's Restaurant Banana's Foster
serves 4

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet.
Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.
When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.
Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum.
When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.
Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.