Eric Ripert | Avec Eric

I learned about this recipe from my friend Chef Alfredo Ayala of Delirio restaurant in Puerto Rico, where bananas and plantains are often used as side dishes in savory meals. Bananas have a natural, starchy complexity and sweetness, which compliments rich white meat dishes like roasted pork or chicken. The bananas in this recipe are cooked with rosemary, maple syrup and bourbon to create an interesting and unique new take on a side dish.

I like to use the very small finger bananas called Manzano, which means “apple” in Spanish, because of their slight hint of apple flavor. They are smaller and more compact than the larger bananas and stay firmer when they are cooked.

Seasoning the bananas with typically savory flavors such as salt, pepper and rosemary actually brings forward the lovely natural sweet flavors of the bananas, when used in the right proportions. I brush just enough soft butter on so when the bananas cook, the flavors of the dish will combine with the butter to make a wonderful sauce for the dish. The light drizzle of maple syrup is there mostly to help with caramelization, so be careful not to use too much or else it will be too sweet and overwhelm the other flavors of the dish.

I usually like to use herbs whole in dishes because I want them to impart their aromatics but not be completely incorporated into the dish to infuse the banana with their flavor and aroma. By placing whole rosemary leaves on the bananas, you are allowing the herbs to release their flavors into the air in the oven and that is then absorbed by the bananas. In this recipe, the rosemary highlights the savory side of the bananas, keeping the dish from being too sweet while also adding a wonderful perfumed flavor.

Everything comes together after only a few minutes of cooking. You have a delicious, sweet, herbal dish of slightly soft, warm bananas that have a smoky kick from the whisky or bourbon that has been added. It is so different than the usual side dish but so good and versatile. Try it the next time you roast a chicken or pork loin.