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FLAMBÉ

At a dinner party, flambé offers a dramatic presentation. The term "flambé" (flahm-BAY) is a French word meaning

"flaming" or "flamed." Cooking foods flambé adds the rich, complex flavor of a liquor or liqueur without adding any

alcohol (it is burned off in the cooking process). Though certain safety precautions are required, with a little

practice, almost anyone can learn how to flambé. One of the showiest restaurant traditions is the table-side

preparation of certain dishes by highly skilled servers. The cooking is done on a chafing dish, a small burner heated

by alcohol fuel. The foods prepared this way are usually things that could be prepared quickly and were often

flambeed with rum or brandy for the sake of showmanship. Typical examples included Crepes Suzette and Bananas

Foster, two dishes that met the requirement for showmanship, or more ordinary items such as omelets.

How to Flambé

1. Set up the chafing dish on a serving cart or small folding table, close to the dining table but not close

enough for the cooking equipment to spatter on the guests.

2. Prepare and measure the ingredients, and bring them to the table in separate containers. Light the alcohol

burner, and place the lightweight skillet over the flame.

3. Place the butter and brown sugar in the pan, and add the pinch of cinnamon. Swirl gently as the butter melts

and the sugar dissolves into it. Add the bananas and the water or banana liqueur, and swirl the pan carefully

as the sauce cooks.

4. Remove the pan from the flame, once the bananas are tender and the sugar has formed a thick sauce with

the butter and water or liqueur. Pour the rum into the skillet, and carefully return it to the flame. Swirl the

bananas and sauce gently as the rum warms up.

5. Tip the pan carefully to the side, once the smell of warm rum is noticeable. The flames from the burner will

ignite the fumes of the hot rum, creating a sheet of flame that covers the pan. Use the barbecue lighter, if

desired, to simplify the process.

6. Spoon the banana pieces over the vanilla ice cream in the dessert bowls. Cover the pieces liberally with the

sauce, and serve the dessert immediately.

Tips & Warnings

Liquors that are higher than 80-proof can be volatile and dangerous. Select a brandy, liquor or liqueur that

has a flavor complementary to the food you are cooking. (Ex: A fruity one for Bananas Foster, or a more

savory cognac for steak.)

If you don't want to use liquor in your cooking, place sugar cubes (soaked in a flavored extract) along the

edges of the pan and ignite.

Before you light it, heat the food that you want to flambé. Cold foods can cool down the warm liquor and

make it difficult to light.

Use extreme caution when cooking, as there are open flames. Do not carry the flaming pan. Do not lean

over the pan as you light it.

Do not pour the liquor directly into the pan from the bottle if it is near an open flame. The flame can travel

up into the bottle and cause it to explode.

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Bananas Flambẻ

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 5 min

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

Pinch ground cinnamon

2 bananas, sliced in rounds and tossed with the juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup dark rum

Vanilla ice cream ( optional )

Directions

Melt the butter gently in a large saute pan. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Add the cinnamon and

cook until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Toss in the bananas.

Turn the heat up to high, pull the pan off the burner and add the rum and tip into the flame to allow the

flame to "JUMP" into the pan and set on fire! Do this carefully and respectfully but have fun, it's all about

the show.

Spoon over ice cream and serve.