Chef K Live

This picture was presented to me on my last birthday by the artist Jerri Andrews, presnt were Dianna, Ronnie and Glory-Ann Prophet, guest of theirs and Don and Pam of the Casablanca Winery Inn. Thanks Jerri. Banana’s Foster In the 1950's, New Orleans was the major port of entry for bananas shipped from Central and South America. Of course sugar and rum were a large part of Creole cooking as well. In 1951, Owen Edward Brennan challenged his talented chef, Paul Blangé, to include bananas in a new culinary creation. The scrumptious dessert was named for Richard Foster, who, as chairman, served with Owen on the New Orleans Crime Commission, a civic effort to clean up the French Quarter. Richard Foster, owner of the Foster Awning Company, was a frequent customer of Brennan's and a very good friend of Owen. Little did anyone realize that Bananas Foster would become an international favorite and is the most requested item on the restaurant's menu. Thirty-five thousand pounds of bananas are flamed each year at Brennan's in the preparation of its world-famous dessert. Ingredients: 6 tablespoons butter 1 cup dark brown sugar 5 tablespoons rum 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 6 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise, then across 1/2 cup pecan halves 6 scoops vanilla ice cream Preparation: Heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the sugar, rum, vanilla and cinnamon and stir to combine. When mixture starts to bubble, add bananas and pecans to pan. Cook until bananas are hot, spooning sauce over but being careful not to break the bananas. Place a scoop of ice cream in each of six dishes, and divide the bananas and sauce over the dishes of ice cream. French Vanilla Ice Cream

For a richer custard, you can add up to 3 more egg yolks. For a less-rich custard, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, realizing that the final texture won’t be as rich or as smooth as if using cream. 1 cup (250ml) whole milk A pinch of salt 3/4 cup (150g) sugar 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 2 cups (500ml) heavy cream 5 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk with a paring knife, then add the bean pod to the milk. Cover, remove from heat, and infuse for one hour. To make the ice cream, set up an ice bath by placing a 2-quart (2l) bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water. Set a strainer over the top of the smaller bowl and pour the cream into the bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Rewarm the milk then gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Stir over the ice until cool, add the vanilla extract, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Preferably overnight. Remove the vanilla bean and freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Better Bananas Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup melted butter Topping: 1/4 cup butter 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel 1 tablespoon lemon juice 4 firm bananas -- cut in 1/2" slices 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed Nutmeg, to taste Preparation: Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup melted butter in a medium bowl; mix well. Press crumb mixture into bottom of a buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Bake 5 minutes at 375°. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add lemon peel, lemon juice and bananas. Stir just until bananas are coated with butter mixture. Arrange slices on crust. Sprinkle with brown sugar and nutmeg. Bake at 375° for 12 to 15 minutes or until bubbly. Cut into squares to serve warm. Serves 6 to 8. Banana Cake with Banana & Coconut Frosting Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup shortening 1/3 cup butter 2/3 cup buttermilk 1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas) 2 eggs Preparation: Sift together the sifted cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, butter, buttermilk, and mashed banana; mix until moistened, then beat on low speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat 1 minute longer. Grease 2 9-inch round or square layer cake pans and line bottoms with waxed paper. Grease waxed paper. Divide batter into the two pans; bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake tests done. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes in pans; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with the banana coconut frosting, below. Banana Coconut Frosting 1/3 cup butter 2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted 1/2 cup mashed banana 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup toasted coconut* 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans 4 drops yellow food coloring Cream butter; add sugar and bananas which have been sprinkled with lemon juice. Blend well. Add toasted coconut and nuts; mix well. Blend in yellow food coloring. Spread between layers and on sides and top of cake. Maui Banana Cake When you drive the island you find the locals selling great loaves of Banana bread roadside, stop and enjoy the bread but the folklore more so. Ingredients: 1 cup butter 2 cups sugar 2 tsp. Vanilla 2 tsp. Lemon juice 4 eggs 2 cups bananas (mashed) 1 tsp. Salt 3 1/2 cups flour 2 tsp. Baking soda 2 tsp. Baking powder 1 cup sour cream 1 cup of chopped nuts Preparation: Cream the butter with the sugar, add extract and eggs, one at a time, then add bananas. Sift all dry ingredients, add to wet ingredients, alternately with sour cream, fold in nuts. Bake in two greased (or spray with nonstick coating) loaf pans at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Makes two loaves.

MAPLE BANANA BAKLAVA 2 cups maple syrup 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 cups sliced BANANAS 2 cups pecans, chopped 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon banana flavoring 1 pound filo dough 1 cup butter, melted Mix the nuts and brown sugar. Set aside. Butter 13x9 pan thoroughly. Keep filo pastry covered with a damp tea towel while working with individual sheets. Layer sheets in baking pan, one at a time, brushing each layer with melted butter. After layering six or so, begin alternating layers of filo pastry with nut mixture and bananas. Brush one layer with butter and sprinkle the next with 1/2 cup nut mixture and 1/2 cup bananas. Continue to alternate buttered layers and nut and banana layers until all but ten sheets have been used. Layer the last ten sheets as you did the bottom six, brushing each with butter. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Score pastry into diamond shapes about 1-1/2 inches x 2 inches. Pour syrup over hot pastry. Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting and removing from pan.