Hot Bananas with Rum & Raisin

Ingredients :

ü  Seedless Raisins – 40 gms

ü  Dark Rum – 75 ml

ü  Unsalted (sweet) Butter – 50 gms

ü  Soft light brown Sugar – 4 tbsp

ü  Ripe Bananas, peeled, halved lengthways - 4

ü  Nutmeg, grated – ½ tsp

ü  Ground Cinnamon – ½ tsp

ü  Slivered Almonds, toasted – 2 tbsp

ü  Chilled Cream or Vanilla Ice

ü  Cream, to serve (optional)

Method :

v Put the raisins in a bowl with the rum. Leave them to soak for about 30 minutes to plump up.

v Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

v Add the bananas and cook for a few minutes until they are tender.

v Sprinkle the nutmeg and cinnamon over the bananas, and then pour in the rum and raisins.

v Carefully set alight using a long taper and stir gently to mix.

v Scatter with the almonds and serve immediately with chilled cream or vanilla ice cream, if you like.

Tips & Variations :

v Choose almost-ripe bananas with evenly colored skins, either all yellow or just green at the tips. Over-ripe bananas will not hold their shape so well when cooked.

v Setting light to the rum, known as flambéing, dispels most of the alcohol content but imparts to the bananas an intense flavour. You must, of course, take great care when lighting the rum and it is essential that you use a long taper.