Grapefruit And Banana Rum Gratins Food

FRIED BANANAS WITH SUGAR 'N' RUM

Steps:

• Tip: to make your own superfine sugar, place the sugar in a clean coffee mill or mini-chopper. Blend until crystals are fine but still "sparkle". Be sure not to blend too long, or the sugar will turn to powdered sugar.
• Over low heat in a large, heavy pan, combine the sugar, rum, butter, lime zest and lime juice.
• Cook for a few minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Cook until the sugar has dissolved.
• Add the bananas to the pan, turning to coat them with the sugar/rum mixture.
• Increase heat to medium, and cook the bananas for about 5 minutes or until the bananas are a beautiful golden color.
• Remove bananas from pan and cut in half lengthwise.
• For each serving, place two banana slices on a dessert plate. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and generous drizzle of the hot sugar/rum sauce.

BANANAS IN BROWN SUGAR AND RUM

Steps:

• Peel bananas, and carefully cut in half lengthwise.
• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and swirl until dissolved.
• Add 2 bananas, cut side down, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, turning very carefully.
• Pouring from a measuring cup, with the pan off the heat, add 1/4 cup rum. Stand back from stove, and return pan to heat. Shake the pan, allowing rum to ignite. Let the alcohol burn off, and again shake the pan, to coat the bananas. Cook until glazed and translucent, about 1 minute longer.
• Remove bananas to warm plates, divide sauce between them, and repeat with remaining 2 bananas.
• Garnish each banana with a little dab of creme fraiche or sour cream, and serve immediately.

GRAPEFRUIT MOJITOS

Steps:

• Put the grapefruit juice, most of the mint and the sugar in a large jug. Crush the ingredients together with the end of a rolling pin to release the flavour from the mint and dissolve the sugar. Add the rum, mix well and top up with soda water and ice. Add the sliced grapefruit and remaining mint before serving.

GRAPEFRUIT AND BANANA RUM GRATINS

Steps:

• Divide the grapefruit sections and the banana slices among four 6-inch (1- to 1 1/4-cup-capacity) gratin dishes. In a small saucepan combine the milk and the vanilla bean and bring the milk just to a boil. While the milk is heating, in a metal bowl whisk together the whole egg, the egg yolk, the granulated sugar, the flour, sifted, and a pinch of salt. Add the milk mixture in a stream, whisking. Transfer the pastry cream to the pan, bring it to a boil, and simmer it, whisking, for 2 minutes.
• Force the pastry cream through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding the vanilla bean, whisk in the rum, and let the pastry cream cool slightly. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat the heavy cream until it holds stiff peaks, whisk a small amount of the whipped cream into the pastry cream, and fold in the remaining whipped cream gently but thoroughly. Pour one forth of the cream mixture into each gratin dish, spreading it to cover the fruit completely, and sprinkle each gratin with some of the confectioners' sugar. Arrange the gratins in a large baking pan and broil them under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 2 to 4 minutes, or until they are browned and heated through.