Joanna Brady Schmida's - "Keys Cuisine"
Sunday, February 28, 2010
When Life Hands You Bananas, You Make Banana Bread

By Joanna Brady Schmida

My friend Pat Tierney, landscaper extraordinaire, dropped off a loaf of delicious homemade banana bread the other day. It disappeared in no time flat. With a ripening bunch of bananas, he had made several loaves that he either froze or gave away.

As those of us who have banana trees know, once a bunch of bananas starts to ripen the fruit has to be dealt with. None of us like to throw good food away but unfortunately, bananas all ripen at the same time and disposing of 70 pounds or so of bananas in a hurry can be pretty daunting.

Bananas are quirky. Unlike other trees in the Keys, they bear fruit whenever they feel like it. They're great plants to have in a garden because here in Zone 10 on the gardening map, they grow very quickly and reach maturity in a short time. Taking off his chef's hat, landscaper Tierney suggests planting several banana trees for a good privacy screen. Once a tree bears a bunch of bananas, that tree must be cut down. But there are many suckers that quickly replace it and they shoot up quickly. If you let them take over, your banana trees will produce an orchard.

When you grow them for their fruit, Tierney says that if you leave your banana trees in the same place too long, the fruit will get smaller and woody. To avoid this, every few years move your clump of banana trees about five feet away from the original site. His favorite varieties are the "praying hands" banana and the red-finger Decora dessert bananas.

I love a thick piece of warmed banana bread, spread with butter, and a latte in the morning. Or cut into civilized, thin slices with a cup of tea in the afternoon. I really enjoy banana muffins, too. And there is no end of other things that can be made with them. Wonderful desserts like bananas Foster, banana cream pie, cheesecake and puddings are all among my favorites.

The fruit on its own is excellent for quick energy since it contains three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose, as well as fiber. Many claims have been made about bananas. Research has shown that just two of them provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout, so they're a popular choice for athletes.

True, they are a high-glycemic fruit, but when you compare them to apples, a banana has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. They're also rich in potassium.

It could all be hearsay but it's believed that a banana can help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions. There are claims that bananas help relieve depression, anxiety and PMS because they contain tryptophan. This is a type of protein the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. The vitamin B6 that a banana contains helps regulate blood glucose levels, which can also affect your mood.

Because they are high in iron, bananas may stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and help anemia. The fruit is also high in potassium yet low in salt, making it helpful in lowering high blood pressure. So much so, the Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Among other claims, bananas are supposed to relieve stress, constipation, nicotine withdrawal, hangovers, ulcers, heartburn, morning sickness and nerves. Obese people claim that a banana helps them to control their cravings for other, more fattening sweets. And in a recent study of 200 students in Britain, it was shown that they were helped through their exams by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. The potassium-packed fruit assisted learning by making pupils more alert.

Do you need any more reasons to plant bananas, or to eat them? Here are a few recipes you might enjoy when a bunch of them ripen.

Pat Tierney's Banana

Bread

2 cups mashed bananas

1-3/4 all purpose flour

2 tsp double acting baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup almonds (optional) plus more for garnish

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional) plus more for garnish

Prepare two loaf pans by spraying with oil and dusting with flour. Mix all the dry ingredients. Then add oil, mashed bananas and eggs and mix together (but don't over-mix).

Add almonds and dried cranberries, reserving a handful of each to sprinkle over the top if using. Spread batter evenly in the loaf pans and bake 45 minutes to one hour, or until a toothpick or fork comes out clean when inserted. Allow to cool over a rack. When at room temperature, remove from pans and wrap in plastic wrap. (The bread is even better the next day.)

Banana Streusel Muffins

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp butter

Heat oven to 375°. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1-1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, two tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in one tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

West Indian

Banana Chutney

1/4 cup raisins

3 tbsp golden rum

16 finger bananas, ripe (or use 8 large bananas)

1 cup peeled, chopped orange slices

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, sliced

1 tbsp fiery hot pepper sauce or 1/4 tsp of minced seeded scotch bonnet peppers, or more (adjust amount to taste)

3 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 cup cider vinegar

1-3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 tsp salt

dash of cinnamon

dash of all-spice

4 cloves

Combine the raisins and rum and stir well. Slice the bananas, then chop them coarsely, but do not mash. Let raisins soak for two hours. In a large pot or dutch oven, combine all ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until thick (it will thicken a bit as it cools). Store in a sealed container in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Great condiment with fish or chicken.

Banana Pudding

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups milk (whole or 2 percent)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp butter (not margarine)

4 egg yolks (large eggs or better)

1 box vanilla wafers

4 to 5 ripe bananas

Meringue:

4 egg whites, at room temperature

5 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375¬°. Line the bottom of a 9" by 9" baking dish with a layer of vanilla wafers.

Peel the bananas and slice into rounds. Cover the banana slices with plastic wrap to keep them from darkening and quickly make pudding.

Combine the sugar, flour and salt in a bowl and stir well to mix. Mash out any flour lumps with the back of your spoon. Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks well. Over medium heat, add flour mixture to the egg yolks, alternately with the milk and vanilla, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil and when the mixture begins to thicken, add the butter, continuing to stir. Keep boiling and stirring until mixture reaches a pudding consistency.

Place a layer of banana slices in the baking dish on top of the vanilla wafers. Pour, spreading as necessary, half of the pudding over banana layer. Put down another layer of vanilla wafers, another layer of banana slices and cover with remaining pudding.

Beat the egg whites at high speed until they form soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar. At high speed, gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the vanilla into the meringue and spread the meringue over the pudding, sealing it at the sides of the dish.

Bake in a preheated 375¬° oven until meringue browns, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven. Serves six.

Easy Banana Cream Pie

1 (9-inch) baked pastry shell

3 medium bananas

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

whipped cream or dessert topping

Slice two bananas and arrange in pie shell. Beat cream cheese in small mixer bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in milk until well blended. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Refrigerate until firm, at least two hours. Slice remaining banana; arrange on pie. Serve with whipped cream or dessert topping.