Have you read the recent furore about banana wastage in the UK?
Apparently we, as a nation, throw away 162,000,000 bananas annually. In
many cases this is because they either a bit green or a bit brown, neither of
which is a valid reason to discard one’s banana.
Over Ripe Bananas
As bananas ripen and become sweeter they develop brown spots
on their skin which merely indicated the degree of ripeness. It has even been
argued that a riper (and therefore browner skinned) banana is the healthier
choice.
Sainsbury's have been encouraging people to make banana bread
or cake with overripe bananas and give a recipe on their site but as one of the
ingredients is “sponge mix” I’d rather give my own here.
Caribbean Banana Lime Bread ~ with optional rum!
225g soft light brown
sugar
110g soft butter
285g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
generous pinch of salt
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas – mashed fairly smoothly although a few lumps are fine
juice of 1 lime
85ml milk
an additional 45g light brown sugar
30g butter
1 tablespoon of rum – optional
110g soft butter
285g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
generous pinch of salt
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas – mashed fairly smoothly although a few lumps are fine
juice of 1 lime
85ml milk
an additional 45g light brown sugar
30g butter
1 tablespoon of rum – optional
~ Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350°F/160ºC
fan/gas 4.
~ Lightly grease a loaf tin - 20cm x 12.5cm is ideal.
~ Stir two teaspoons of lime juice into the milk.
~ Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
~ Sift together the next three ingredients.
~ Beat the eggs into the butter mixture together with a spoonful or two of the flour mixture (which should stop it curdling although it doesn’t really matter if it does!).
~ Add the mashed bananas, the lime zest and the milk and lime juice mixture and beat in.
~ Fold in the rest of the flour mix.
~ Decant the cake batter into the loaf tin an bake for about an hour till risen and golden brown.
~ When ready cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before turning out carefully.
~ Whilst it is cooling over low heat stir together the 45g light brown sugar, 30g butter, the rest of the lime juice and the optional rum to form a syrup.
~ Carefully turn the cake out and then sit it back on the cooling rack over a plate or a tray to catch drips.
~ Carefully spoon the syrup over the warm cake.
~ Leave to cool.
~ Lightly grease a loaf tin - 20cm x 12.5cm is ideal.
~ Stir two teaspoons of lime juice into the milk.
~ Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
~ Sift together the next three ingredients.
~ Beat the eggs into the butter mixture together with a spoonful or two of the flour mixture (which should stop it curdling although it doesn’t really matter if it does!).
~ Add the mashed bananas, the lime zest and the milk and lime juice mixture and beat in.
~ Fold in the rest of the flour mix.
~ Decant the cake batter into the loaf tin an bake for about an hour till risen and golden brown.
~ When ready cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before turning out carefully.
~ Whilst it is cooling over low heat stir together the 45g light brown sugar, 30g butter, the rest of the lime juice and the optional rum to form a syrup.
~ Carefully turn the cake out and then sit it back on the cooling rack over a plate or a tray to catch drips.
~ Carefully spoon the syrup over the warm cake.
~ Leave to cool.
A sprinkle of toasted coconut is a lovely finish to this
cake and if using desiccated coconut please see here for an easy way to make it much, much nicer!
Green Bananas
2. Cook them. Green
bananas are very popular in the Caribbean (here’s a pic of some growing in our
garden when we lived in the BVI) and a simple way is to boil them and serve as a
side dish to savoury dishes. Just peel
(you will need a knife as they don’t peel easily when under ripe) and cook in
boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes.
Banana Chips
Banana Brittle
Banana Brittle
These are lovely for nibbling purposes or serving with ice cream.
Just think of all the ideas I have come up with for the other 450 or so ingredients in the book! Read more about my leftovers cookbook here.
60g butter
1 tbsp oil
6 tbsp caster sugar
2 bananas - thinly sliced
1 tbsp oil
6 tbsp caster sugar
2 bananas - thinly sliced
~ Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350°F/160ºC fan/gas 4.
~ Melt together butter and oil and brush over a baking tray and sprinkle with half the sugar.
~ Arrange the banana slices on the tray in a single layer.
~ Sprinkle with the other half of the sugar.
~ Roast in the oven keeping an eye on them; Every time a banana slice looks crisp and golden remove from the oven and set aside on a plate. When I say "looks crisp" this doesn't mean it is actually crisp, this doesn't happen till it cools.
~ Continue doing this till the plate is full and the baking tray is empty - abotu 30 minutes.
~ Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
As it happens I cannot abide bananas (although I will work
with them!) yet I came up with over 20 good ideas for bananas, including
overripe bananas, in Creative Ways to Use Up Leftovers.~ Melt together butter and oil and brush over a baking tray and sprinkle with half the sugar.
~ Arrange the banana slices on the tray in a single layer.
~ Sprinkle with the other half of the sugar.
~ Roast in the oven keeping an eye on them; Every time a banana slice looks crisp and golden remove from the oven and set aside on a plate. When I say "looks crisp" this doesn't mean it is actually crisp, this doesn't happen till it cools.
~ Continue doing this till the plate is full and the baking tray is empty - abotu 30 minutes.
~ Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Just think of all the ideas I have come up with for the other 450 or so ingredients in the book! Read more about my leftovers cookbook here.
Well, that’s about that for this post but just in case you don't know what I am talking about this is what you need ...
