Whereas my second son was born without a volume control dial, my first son was born without an equalizer. The little one bellows and howls at the ceiling, pounds and slams on the floor. The big one rolls his eyes, giggles, and plays mind games, then lavishes you with smiles. Not surprisingly, their loves and fears and wants are nearly opposite, though not in the way you might expect. The big one, when he isn’t politicking, just wants to create elaborate dioramas of war and space travel. The little one, when he isn’t fighting, just wants to climb into your lap for a cuddle. The younger one loves to cook, the elder is a formidable epicurean. They are made from completely different machinery, as if one was crafted by a Swiss watchmaker, the other by a Tasmanian shaman. But they both love flambéed bananas with smoked salt. Cyprus hardwood smoked salt lends woody glints of bacon to the dish, while the salt’s unique massive crystals lend a perfect crunch. Either way, the dish has everything. Banana sugars caramelizing in hot butter, bourbon exploding into fire, and a globe of ice cream—the whole thing set into a smoky haze, like a carnival entering a battlefield.

　　

Ingredients

serves 2

　　1 tablespoon unsalted butter

　　2 bananas, peeled, cut in half, the halves sliced lengthwise

　　1/4 cup bourbon or brandy

　　1 tablespoon light brown sugar

　　1/4 cup crème fraîche or 2 scoops vanilla bean ice cream

　　2 two-finger pinches Cyprus hardwood smoked, Halen Môn oak smoked, Maldon smoked, or Maine Apple Smoked salt

　　

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and swirl around the skillet to coat the bottom. When the butter is almost completely melted, add the bananas and sauté until the bottoms are crispy brown, 3 to 4 minutes, checking by slightly lifting one edge of a piece with a spatula. Taking care not to break the slices, flip and fry the bananas until the bottoms are golden, about 3 minutes. Arrange the bananas on plates or shallow bowls.

　　

Step 2

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the bourbon. Return the pan to the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir in the sugar until melted.

　　

Step 3

Scoop the crème fraiche or ice cream over the banana and drizzle the sauce over everything. Sprinkle with the salt.

　　

Option

Step 4

Thrill-seekers and bourbon-lovers can opt to deglaze the pan by pouring an additional 2 ounces of bourbon into the hot skillet and tilting the pan edge into the flame to ignite the boiling alcohol; then drizzle the sauce over the bananas.

　　Salted