Tropical Fruit Flambé Recipes

WARM FRUIT STEW

Steps:

• Put the fruit in a frying pan and add the syrup. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, shaking the pan gently to coat the fruit with syrup. Add the butter, a pinch of salt, and the lemon juice, and continue to cook, swirling the fruit and butter around in the pan, another minute, or until the butter has melted.
• Spoon the fruit compote onto 4 plates and place scoops of raspberry sorbet in the center of each serving.
• Variation: To make an uncooked compote of tropical fruits, peel and cup up a ripe mango and a ripe papaya. Put in a bowl and add 1 cup of warm medium sugar syrup and the juices/pulp of 2 ripe passion fruits. Mix in a pinch of salt and chill for 1 hour. Serve with coconut ice cream, or plain in a hollowed-out meringue. For a warm compote put all the fruit in the syrup as above and cook in the same way as the berry compote, then serve on polenta pound cake.
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Put the sugar and water in a pan. Bring the water to a boil, stirring constantly, until all the sugar is dissolved. Simmer 5 minutes, then let the syrup cool. Use as needed.

STRAWBERRY CREPES FLAMBE

Steps:

• Fold crepes in quarters. Heat in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high, flipping once, until warm and crisp, 5 minutes; divide between 2 plates.
• Return skillet to heat; melt 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in packed light-brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt; cook, swirling pan, until darkened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add halved strawberries; cook until tender, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add silver rum.
• To flambe, return skillet to medium-high heat. If using a gas burner, carefully tilt pan away from you to ignite; if using an electric burner, use a lit long match held just above the sauce. When flame subsides (5 to 10 seconds), spoon strawberries over crepes. Return skillet to medium-high heat and reduce sauce until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes; pour over crepes. Whisk heavy cream until thickened slightly. Drizzle over crepes; serve.

FRESH FRUITS FLAMBE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a flambe pan.
• Add sugar and stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to caramelize.
• Add the orange and pineapple juice and bring to a boil.
• Add the pieces of fruit and stir to blend well with the caramel.
• Pour in the Maraskina, Grand Marnier and Cognac and flame.
• Allow the liquid to thicken slightly, but do not overcook the fruit.