The flames will fascinate them every time, guaranteed. So what if dessert only takes five minutes to whip together? Strike a match to today's Bananas Caribe, and your family -- or even the fanciest guests -- will know they're getting a treat worthy of a fine restaurant.
Nothing's more dramatic than Bananas Foster, created at New Orleans' famous Brennan's Restaurant in the 1950s to honor regular guest Richard Foster. We've put a twist on the classic with Caribbean accents of allspice, raisins and orange juice.An extra bonus to this recipe is that all of the ingredients are easy to keep on hand.
(No allspice? Feel free to substitute cinnamon.)
After about three minutes in a skillet, this yummy sauce is ready for its moment of glory. Splash on the rum (see note below), and for a dramatic presentation, bring the skillet to the table to ignite. Just turn down the lights and be sure everyone is a safe distance from the pan.
BANANAS CARIBE
4 small ripe bananas
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup light or dark rum (optional: see note below)
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, optional
1/4 cup raisins
4 cups reduced-fat vanilla frozen yogurt
Peel the bananas and cut them in half. Slice each half lengthwise. (You will have 16 pieces.) Set aside. Measure out the brown sugar, orange juice and rum. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar, orange juice and allspice, if using, and stir well to mix. Add the bananas and raisins, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Pour the rum evenly over the mixture. Ignite the pan using a long match or a lighted bamboo skewer. (Do not use a regular match.) When the flames disappear, serve at once over frozen yogurt. Serves 8.
Note: According to former Deseret News food editor Winnifred C. Jardine, the only substitute for flambes or flaming desserts is to use a sugar cube soaked in lemon extract, placed atop the dessert and burned.
Approximate Values Per Serving: 225 calories (17 percent from fat), 4 g fat (3 g saturated), 13 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 43 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 94 mg sodium.
Beverly Mills is a former food editor of the Miami Herald food section; Alicia Ross, a food columnist for The Raleigh News and Observer. Their new cookbook, "Desperation Dinners!" is now available from Workman Publishing. Send desperate tales of woe or everyday success stories and your favorite quick recipes to Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016; or e-mail: (ddinnersaol.com). (C) United Feature Syndicate Inc.