Chef John Turenne at Yale notes that this bananas foster recipe, a hit in every class, was created at New Orleans's Brennan's Restaurant in the 1950s. For best results, be sure to use firm, ripe bananas.
As always, cooks are certainly welcome to alter recipes to suit their tastes and wallets. Due to allergies in our home, I do this frequently. However, remember "this version" of the recipe is THE original Brennan's recipe. And unless one uses the exact brands of banana liqueur and dark rum and the exact duplicate of Brennan's home made vanilla ice cream, our home "versions" will not taste quite the same. Delicious, of course, but different. Aside from that fact, a suave, deft waiter serving one at such a classic restaurant in such a wonderful city makes Bananas Foster and everything else Brennan's serves so much more delicious... just MHO.
Great, simple recipe! We couldn't even get the stupid rum to lite and we still thought this was great - and so did the guests.
I too beg to differ about the banana Liqueur, I was at Brennans a few years back and they used a liquere called 99 Bananas. Along with Siagon Cinnamon.The ice cream is made at the restaurant. It was a 10 in the rattings list. So Yall enjoy.
Check out Brennan's Web site, the original recipe DOES have banana liqueur in it.
This version of the recipe suffers from the addition of the banana liquor and the use of low-fat ice cream. The real original used rich ingredients, as do I. The real mystery is why anyone would want to use banana liquor - it tastes so artifical-like some strange taffy I remember from my youth. Substitute brandy for the banana liquor, use the best vanilla ice cream you can find and enjoy - you can always diet tomorrow.
I agree with the previous review. This is a dazzling presentation. My only dispute with it is I would use a premium vanilla bean ice cream. After the butter, the brown sugar and the liquor, why use low fat ice cream?
Great recipe. My original recipe that dates back to 1969 does not call for banana liqueur. So, my consensus is that it can easily be left out of the dish and it will still taste great. This has become one of my husband's specialties over the years and everyone we've served it to has raved.
Fabulous recipe! So showy for being so easy! We prefer making it with creme de cacao instead of the banana liqeur. This was the prefect ending for a Valentine's Day dinner made by my husband. See if your sweetie likes fire and will make this his specialty.
I haven't tried this yet but have a tip for those who haven't done flaming (flambe) dishes before: if you warm the alcohol a bit before adding to your dish it will catch flame more easily. I learned this method form my mom, who took tons of cooking classes and as a consequence taught me how to make cherries jubilee when I was about 9, flames and all.
