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.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　2 bananas, peeled

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　¼ cup dark brown sugar

　　⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　2 tablespoons banana liqueur

　　¼ cup white rum

　　1 pint vanilla ice cream

　　

Step 1

Slice the bananas in half lengthwise and brush with the lemon juice. Melt the butter with the sugar in a flat chafing dish or 10-inch skillet. Add the bananas and sauté until just tender. Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

　　

Step 2

Remove from the heat and add liqueur and rum. Carefully ignite with a long match. Use a large long-handled spoon to baste the bananas with the warm liquid until the flame burns out.

　　

Step 3

Divide the ice cream among four dishes. Top each one with a banana half and some of the sauce. Serve immediately.

　　From Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans © 2008, 2015 by Marcelle Bienvenu and‎ Judy Walker. Reprinted with permission from Chronicle Books. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.