Maduro en Gloria (Heavenly Bananas)

Posted by Olga March 20, 2002 15:43:15

From Willemsted, Curacao, West Indies.

Named after the famous shipping banking family, Maduro, this is a dish served on festive occasions.

4 tablespoons butter
6 firm bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound cream cheese
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Curacao liqueur

Melt the butter in a skillet and brown the bananas very quickly over high heat.

Place half the banana slices on the bottom of a buttered pie plate.
Blend heavy cream and cream cheese until very soft.
Add sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and liqueur, beating until light and smooth.
Spread half of the mixture over the bananas.
Place remaining banana slices on top, and spread the rest of the cream-cheese mixture over the dish.
Bake in a 375 degrees F.
oven for 20 minutes or until almost all the cream is absorbed and the top is lightly browned.
Do not allow all the cream to be absorbed, or the bananas will become too dry.

Serve hot.
If desired, top with whipped cream.

Serves 6.

Mojito (Cuba)

This is a favorite in Cuba.
Ernest Hemingway was particularly fond of it.

Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 or 3 fresh mint leaves and 1 sprig mint, for garnish
Crushed ice
1 1/2 ounces white rum
Club soda

Stir lime juice and sugar in a tall drink glass until the sugar dissolves.
Add the mint leaves, crushed ice and rum, then stir.
Top off the drink with club soda.
Stir again, then garnish with the sprig of mint and serve.

Serves 1.

Fried Plantains

Serve as a side dish or as a dessert.

Allow at least half a plantain per person.
Leaving the skin on, cut them in half, and put them into a pan of cold water.
Bring them to a boil.
It should take about 15 minutes of boiling to get them to the proper degree of softness.
Drain them, cool them, and cut the two halves of each in two again.
Gently press them flat and sauté them in hot butter.
Drain on paper towel and serve.
If you want, you can sprinkle them with powdered sugar or drizzle them with honey.

They work as a dessert or a side dish.