Bananas Foster Recipe

The original Bananas Foster was created at Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans in 1951.

Brennan's Bannanas Foster Recipe in new Orleans

Bananas Foster by Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans.

In 1946, Owen Brennan was faced with a dilemma: Would he prove his friend, who said he couldn’t cook, right? Or would he prove his culinary excellence? The proprietor of the Old Absinthe House responded by opening Brennan's, a New Orleans staple now located on Royal Street.

The French-Creole restaurant created global masterpieces like Bananas Foster. Enjoy this original recipe, as rich in flavor as it is in history.

Ingredients for Bananas Foster:

  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup banana liqueur
  • 4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
  • 1/4 cup dark rum
  • 4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Method of Preparation:

  1. Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet.
  2. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.
  4. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum, or ignite with a long match.
  5. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.
  6. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

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