BANANA PINEAPPLE FOSTER

I must admit I have never had the real Banana's Foster, even after several visits to New Orleans.  I came up with this recipe many years ago when I was in Kenya and cooking dessert for a group of people using what was at hand.  I had a huge sweet and juicy Pineapple. (If you have never had a fresh Pineapple picked right from the plant grown along the Equator, you are missing one of Nature's most incredible treats!)  And plenty of Bananas.  I thought I was inventing a new dessert having never heard of Banana's Foster at the time.  I didn't have Rum or Vanilla Ice Cream in Africa but I remember the sauce being thick, luscious and amazing and all of us licking our plates clean.  Real Banana's Foster does not have Pineapple in it so this recipe is with a tropical twist.  The aroma, as it cooks, becomes intoxicating as the Brown Sugar and Butter melt laced with Cinnamon.  Try serving this over French Toast or Waffles for breakfast on a special weekend morning.  You don't have to be in Africa to be Cooking The Amazing, just the desire to eat an amazing dessert.




Here is the recipe.





        1     Stick Butter
1 3/4 c  Dark Brown Sugar
        1 t   Vanilla Extract
        1 t   Cinnamon
        1 pinch  Sea Salt, fine grain
    1/4 c  Orange Juice
 1 1/2 c  Pineapple Chunks
        3     Bananas, sliced thick
        3 T Rum (optional)
 Vanilla or Coconut Ice Cream






1.  You can use canned Pineapple for this recipe but a fresh Golden Pineapple tastes 100% better.  If using fresh, remove the outer skin and eyes and cut Pineapple into large 1 inch chunks.  Drain from the juice if canned and measure out 1 1/2 cups.  Set aside.  Here's how to peel a Pineapple safely.

Place the Pineapple on it's side and slice off bottom to make a flat surface to stand it on.  Then cut off the top prickly leaves.

Stand the Pineapple up and carve the outer skin down all around.  Remove any "eyes" that are left.

Cut the Pineapple in half down the middle (longways) so that the core is exposed.

Split each half into half again and then cut out the hard inner core and discard it.

Cut each piece into inch chunks and place in a bowl to collect any juices.

2.  Over medium heat in a large pan, melt the Butter and Dark Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Sea Salt, and Orange juice.  Stir well until the Brown Sugar is melted, about 4 minutes.  If using Rum, add it now and simmer 1 minute.  Watch for flames in your pan!

3.  Add the Pineapple chunks and any juice that collected in the bowl and simmer for 4 minutes.  The Sauce may begin to boil.  Stir well.

4.  Slice the Bananas thick and fold them into the sauce.  Carefully stir them in so they do not break up and simmer for just 2 minutes then remove from the heat and serve over Ice Cream or Pound Cake immediately.  Cooking the Bananas too long will make them mushy.

Try Banana Pineapple Foster over my Brioche French Toast for an amazing breakfast instead of Berries or for an Amazing dessert serve hot over my fresh baked Banana Bread Muffins!

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