Recipe: Regina's Bananas Foster

Paul Blangé, who invented Bananas Foster, knew what he was doing in the kitchen. Butter and brown sugar were a match made in heaven, cinnamon and rum are so perfect together, and what better way to round off the sweetness than the addition of a bit of citrus zest?

Serves 8

• 4 bananas
    • 14 pound butter
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest
    • 2 tablespoons dark rum
    • 14 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 quart vanilla ice cream

In large sauté pan, over medium heat, melt butter, then add brown sugar.

Add lemon luice, orange juice and orange zest (if you don't have a zester you can finely grate the orange peel). Continue to cook until brown sugar has cooked to a syrup.

Peel bananas. Cut them lengthwise, then in thirds. You want the pieces to be about two inches long. Add bananas to brown sugar syrup in the pan.

Add the rum and cinnamon. Heat for just about 45 seconds. You want the bananas to remain firm.

Spoon warm bananas in rum-flavored syrup over vanilla ice cream.

To read Regina Charboneau's post on being a caramel person, click here for the story.
Regina Charboneau is the owner of Twin Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Natchez, Mississippi. She is the author of Regina's Table at Twin Oaks.