FLAMBÉ

It is a cooking procedure in which alcohol is added to a hot pan to create a burst of

flames. It is typically done to create an impressive visual presentation at a
dramatic point in the preparation of a meal.

HISTORY
Although the practice of igniting food for show can be traced to the Moors in the
14th century, modern flambéing became popular only in the late 19th century.
According to his own story, it was discovered in Monte Carlo in 1895, when Henri
Carpentier, a waiter, accidentally set fire to a pan of crêpes he was preparing for
the future Edward VII of the United Kingdom. He discovered that burning the
sauce affected its flavor in a way that he could not have anticipated.

CHEMICAL THEORY
Simply lighting food on fire is not flambéing in and of itself. Igniting a sauce with
alcohol in the pan changes the chemistry of the food. Because alcohol boils at
78 °C (172 °F), water boils at 100 °C (212 °F) and sugar caramelizes at 160 °C
(320 °F), ignition of all these ingredients combined results in a complex chemical
reaction, especially as the surface of the burning alcohol exceeds 240 °C (500 °F ).

DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS
Because taste is a very subjective sense, not everyone can discern a change in
flavor as a result of flambéing. Some claim that because the flame is above the
food and since hot gases rise, it cannot significantly affect the flavor, although in
an informal taste test conducted by the Los Angeles Times of two batches of
caramelized apples (one flambéed and one simmered), one tester declared the
"flambéed dish was for adults, the other for kids. Others, however, dispute this and
quote celebrated French chefs who claim that flambéing is strictly a show-biz
aspect of restaurant business and ruins food.

SAFETY
As alcohol is highly combustible liquid it is recommended that alcohol should
never be added to a pan on a burner, and the cook should maintain adequate
distance while doing flambé.
 FLAMBÉ DISHES

Banana Flambé

Ingredients:

•2 bananas
•2 Tablespoons sunflower oil
•4 Tablespoons sugar
•1/2 cup white rum
•1 lime, squeezed

Preparation:

Peel and halve the banana lengthwise. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Brown the bananas 5 minutes on each side. Add the sugar and pour in the rum. Cook
for 2 minutes. Flambé. Sprinkle with lime juice and serve at once.

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken Flambé
Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breast halves with bones, skin on (may substitute skinless,

boneless)
• 1/4 teaspoon (about) ground thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon (about) ground sage
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion cut in quarters
• 2 Portobello mushroom caps, sliced
• 1/3 cup Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons butter or margarine, melted
• 4 teaspoons flour
• 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
• Orange slices for garnish, optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a shallow casserole dish with vegetable oil.

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt, pepper, thyme, and sage.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, add olive oil and swirl to
coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is shimmering, place chicken breasts skin-side
down in the skillet. Cook until skin is golden brown, then turn and cook an additional
2 minutes. Remove chicken and arrange in the prepared casserole dish.

In the same skillet, add onions and portobello mushroooms. Sauté, stirring often,
until mushrooms give up their liquid and onions have softened. Remove vegetables
with a slotted spoon and arrange around the chicken. Bake 15 minutes, uncovered.

Gently warm Grand Marnier until lukewarm, not hot. Remove chicken from the
oven. Pour the liqueur over the chicken and vegetables. Flambé by lighting with a
long fireplace match or barbecue lighter. Let the flames die out naturally, then add
the wine to the pan and return to the oven. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until
center of chicken breast reads 165 F. on an instant-read thermometer. Remove
chicken and vegetables to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm while you make
the sauce.

Whisk together butter and flour until smooth and add to the pan juices. Stir in cream
and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes until thickened, stirring often. Taste, adding
salt and pepper, if necessary. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables. Garnish with
orange slices, if desired.

Wild rice and a green vegetable round out the meal.

Yield: 4 servings
Steak Diane
Ingredients:

• 4 (3 ounces each) center cut beef tenderloin medallions, trimmed of all fat
and pounded to 1/2 inch thick, chilled
• 1-1/2 ounces clarified butter
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped fine
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup mushroom caps, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, fresh if possible
• 2 ounces heavy cream
• 1 ounce brandy
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
• Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
• Ground black pepper, fresh ground, 1/8 teaspoon or to taste

Preparation:

In a small 8- to 10-inch sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat for 1
minute. Add the tenderloin steaks, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, increase
heat to medium-high and sauté exactly 2 minutes on each side. Remove them to a
plate and chill in a refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Preheat a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add clarified
butter, then add the Worcestershire sauce to the butter. Place the shallots, garlic,
and mushrooms in the center of the pan with the tenderloin steaks around the
edges. With a spoon, stir and toss the mushroom mixture. After 2 minutes add the
lemon juice and season the ingredients with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Turn
the filet mignon steaks and add the thyme, chopped parsley and dried mustard
powder. Cook the steaks to the doneness you like. Leave them in the pan and add
the heavy cream and chives. Tilt the pan slightly, and pour the brandy into the front
edge of the pan, turn the heat to high and let the flame (or if electric, light with a
match) catch the brandy's vapors and ignite it. Swirl slightly, turn off the heat and
let the flame go out.
Place filet mignon medallions on plates and top with the sauce from the pan.
Yield: 2 servings
Strawberry Flambe with Green Peppercorns

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces strawberries, cut in half

• 2 ounces butter (cold)
• 2 ounces granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon green peppercorns
• 3 ounces orange juice
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce Grand Marnier
• 1-1/2 ounces Pernod

Preparation:

Heat pan, add sugar, and carmelize until gold. Add cold butter, stir well. Quickly add
orange juice and lemon juice and stir. Add Grand Marnier and reduce until sauce has
viscosity. Add strawberries and cook gently for maximum 2 minutes. Add green
peppercorns, do not crush them. Cook for another half a minute.

Overheat one side of the pan by tilting the handle down. Move the pan away from
the flame. Add Pernod, put quickly back to the flame and by tilting the pan upwards,
let the Pernod ignite and flame.

To serve, place a round piece of genoise (or sponge cake) in the middle of the plate.
Lay the strawberries around and sprinkle with vanilla-flavored powder sugar.

Yield: 1 serving
Pineapple Rum Flambe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 small fresh pineapple, ends trimmed, skin peeled, cored, cut into 6 slices,
and patted dry
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup rum, warmed

Preparation:

Place brown sugar in a shallow soup bowl. Press each pineapple ring into the brown
sugar, coating both sides.

Heat butter in a large, heavy skillet on medium-low heat. When hot, place pineapple
slices in the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until nicely browned. Flip
the slices and brown the other side.

Move skillet far from the heat source, carefully pour in warmed rum, and ignite with
a long match or barbecue lighter to flambe. Return to heat and let alcohol burn off.
Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. (Depending on the size of the
pineapple, you may need to do this in two skillets.)

Flambed pineapple slices may be served as is with the pan sauce or as a topping for
pound cake or ice cream.

Yield: 6 servings
Flaming Fish

Ingredients:

• 4 (8-ounce) trout fillets

• .
• Lemon Onion Baste:
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup salad oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 cup green onions
• Dash of pepper
• 2 to 3 ounces rum (or cognac)
• .
• Assorted Herbs:
• Rosemary
• Fennel
• Dill
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Sage

Preparation:

Combine lemon juice, salt, salad oil, sugar, green onions, and pepper. Mix
thoroughly.

Grill trout fillets over a medium heat basting twice on each side with the lemon-onion
baste. Cook 5 to 8 minutes on each side, turning once.

Cover a hot platter with the herbs and place on it the fillets from grill. Sprinkle herbs
on top of the fillets. Pour the rum over it and ignite. The herbs will give the fish a
subtle irresistible flavor.

Serve with a wild rice mix and a plate of cut raw vegetables.

Yield: 4 servings
Fruit Omelet Flambé

Ingredients

• 1/4 c Pecan pieces

• 2 Eggs
• 1 Banana; sliced
• 2 tb Water

Preparation

Make the omelet: Beat together eggs and water until blended. In a 10inch omelet
pan, heat butter or margarine until it sizzles. Pour in egg mixture. With an inverted
spatula pull cooked portions of egg from the perimeter of the pan to the center so
uncooked egg can reach the hot pan surface, tilting the pan and moving it as
necessary. Continue until the egg is set and will not flow. Tableside filling and
flambe: Quickly take the hot pan with the omelet to the serving table. Fill the left
side of the omelet with the first 5 ingredients (lefthanded people fill the right side).
Fold the unfilled side of the omelet over the filling. Dust with sugar. Pour the brandy
over the omelet and ignite it. Baste the omelet with the burning brandy until the fire
goes out. Serve right from the pan.

Yield: - 4 servings.
Apple Flambe

Ingredient

Apples 2 pc
Butter 2 tbsp
Cane or brown sugar 2 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Cinnamon ½ tbsp
Nutmeg 1\4 tbsp
Brandy, cognac o r dark rum 1 oz

Preparation

1) Core and slice two apples.

2) In a skillet over medium heat melt butter and sugar. Add the apples and stir.

3) Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and stir. Cover
and keep warm.

4) In a saucepan, warm brandy, cognac or dark rum.

5) Sprinkle over fruit and cover for a minute.

6) Uncover and quickly set alight! Serve over vanilla ice cream..

Yield: - 4 servings.

Peppered Steak with Brandy Flambe

Ingredients

• 2-4 trimmed strip steaks, 1 inch thick or filet mignon steaks, 1 1/2 inch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoon coarsely crushed peppercorn
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, no substitutions
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2-4 ounces hot brandy per steak

Directions

Steaks should have been out of refrigeration for at least 30 minutes.

Sprinkle bottom of a large heavy weight skillet with the salt and preheat using
high heat.

Press the steaks into the crushed peppercorns and work it into both sides of
the meat with the palm of your hand.

When skillet is well heated, add the steaks and quickly brown each side,
uncovered.

Reduce heat to medium, turning steaks once and cooking to the desired
degree of rareness (6-7 minutes per side for a medium to rare 1 1/2 inch
thick filet).

In a separate pan combine and heat the butter, lemon juice and
worcestershire.

Place cooked steaks on serving platter, pour heated butter mixture over
steaks and flambe.

To flambe: Use 1 ounce of hot (not boiling but hot) brandy per steak.

Pour brandy over steak, light a match, and let the liquor burn out on its own.

Serve immediately.
Mango Flambe

Ingredients

• 4 (1 lb) firm-ripe mangoes

• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup dark rum

Directions

Preheat broiler.

Wash and dry mangoes. Remove 2 flat sides of each mango with a sharp
knife, cutting lengthwise alongside pit and as close to pit as possible, so that
mango flesh is in 2 large pieces (reserve remaining fruit for another use).

Make crosshatch pattern with a small, sharp knife, cutting across fruit down
to skin at 1cm intervals and being careful not to pierce through. Grasp fruit at
both ends and turn inside out to make flesh side convex.

Arrange fruit, skin side down, in a large, shallow baking pan lined with
aluminium foil and sprinkle evenly with 4 tablespoons sugar mixed with
cinnamon(total).

Broil 5 inches from heat until fruit is golden brown (it will not brown evenly),
about 5 minutes. Arrange fruit on a large platter.

Cook rum with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over

moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat,
then carefully ignite rum with a kitchen match and pour, still flaming, over
warm mangoes. Serve immediately.
Crepe Suzette

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk

• 3/4 cup water
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 lb unsalted butter
• 2 orange peels
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 4 tb orange liqueur
• Cognac

Put 1/2 cup of sugar and orange peels in a processor. Stir for one minute. Add 4.5 oz
of butter and process. Add slowly 1/2 cup of orange juice. Then 3 table spoons of
orange liqueur.Cover and refrigerate.

Prepare the pancake mixture. Place ina processor milk, water, egg yolks, 1 table
spoon of sugar, 1 table spoon of orange liqueur (or brandy), flour, 5 table spoons of
butter. Process for one minute at top speed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2
hours.

Rub a skillet with butter. Cook one pancake at the time over moderate heat.

Put the orange mixture in a saucepan and heat for one minute, then move to the
pancake skillet over moderate heat.

Place one pancake in the skillet. Turn it cautiously. Fold it in half, than half again.
Continue with the other pancakes.

Heat 2 table spoons of Cognac and 2 table spoons of orange liqueur in a

saucepan. Pour over pancakes. Ignites - cautiously - with a match and serve
immediately.

Yield: - 6 servings.