Once an exotic treat, the rise of the banana in popularity is due largely to their convenience and ability to travel well. Picked green in the tropics, they slowly ripen, allowing for easy transportation around the world.
Their thick skins not only protect the fruit, but are also an indicator of how ripe the fruit is, therefore determining their use-by date.
Packed with flavour, bananas are a great source of natural sugar and, with zero fat, make the perfect healthy fast food. They are also a natural remedy for many of today's modern ills, containing elements that help fight depression, anaemia and high blood pressure. Saturday is ''Pancake Day'' at our place and, while maple syrup is obligatory fare, I can't resist adding fresh sliced banana to mine.
So simple, but so good!
Mini banana and chocolate doughnuts with chocolate sauce
Serves 4
1 large ripe banana
2 tsp caster sugar
100ml milk
100g unsalted butter
100g plain flour
3 free-range eggs
100g chocolate buttons (55% cocoa solids)
1.5L canola oil
1 cup caster sugar
1½ tsp cinnamon
Chocolate sauce
100ml cream
100g chocolate buttons (55% cocoa solids)
Method
Mash banana well with 2 tsp of caster sugar using a fork, until smooth.
Place milk and butter into a small pot and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Stir in flour and beat well with a wooden spoon as the mixture thickens to avoid lumps. Cook for 1 minute before removing from heat and beating in eggs, 1 at a time, with the wooden spoon until well combined.
Lightly grease a 24-hole mini-muffin tin and spoon in mixture evenly. Press chocolate buttons into the centre of each doughnut, pinching a little of the doughnut mixture over the top to cover. Place muffin tray into the freezer for 2 hours or until completely solid.
Heat canola oil in a large pot over a medium to high heat until it reaches 160degC.
Remove doughnuts from muffin moulds and cook in batches until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen towel. Mix remaining caster sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl, add hot doughnuts and toss to coat with sugar.
Serve immediately with warm chocolate sauce.
Chocolate sauceWarm cream in a small pot until almost simmering. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until smooth.
Pancakes with bananas and maple syrup
Serves 4
4 free-range eggs, separated
500ml buttermilk
2 tsp real vanilla essence
pinch of salt
¾ cup caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Unsalted butter
4 ripe bananas
maple syrup
Method
Whisk egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla together.Add dry ingredients and mix to a thick, smooth batter.
Whisk egg whites to a firm peak then gently fold into batter using a whisk.
Heat two non-stick frying pans over a medium heat and grease with a little unsalted butter. Ladle 3 pancakes into each pan and when bubbles start to appear on the surface of the pancakes, gently flip with a plastic eggflip. Cook lightly for a further minute and serve immediately with sliced bananas and maple syrup.
Preheat oven to 170degC.
Banana cake
Makes 7 mini-loaves or 1 large 28cm cake
4 free-range eggs
2¼ cups caster sugar
½ cup creme fraiche
2 tsp real vanilla essence
9 ripe bananas, peeled
1 cup vegetable oil
3¼ cups plain flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp table salt
½ cup raw sugar
½ cup icing sugar
½ tsp mixed spice
Method
Cream eggs and caster sugar in an electric mixer until pale and thick. Add creme fraiche and vanilla and beat until well combined.
Mash 6 bananas with a fork and gently fold in with oil, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Divide mixture between 7 mini-loaf tins, slice remaining bananas and scatter over the top.
Mix raw sugar, icing sugar and mixed spice together in a small bowl and sprinkle over the top. Place into oven and cook for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and just cooked.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from moulds and serving.
• Bevan and Monique Smith own the award-winning Riverstone Kitchen restaurant, on SH1 in North Otago, just south of the Waitaki bridge.
