Of course, French cuisine is very popular. However, it is not necessary to be a professional culinary specialist to cook delicious French food. And today, many are interested in the question of how to cook flambe. What is this dish? What products will be needed to cook it and what rules should be followed?
Flambe: what is it?
In fact, the flaming process is one of the most sophisticated and effective techniques used by modern professional chefs. So how to cook flambe? What it is?
The word itself translates as "combustion." The essence of the reception is a short-term roasting on the fire of the finished dish. Moreover, the catalyst for the combustion process are, as a rule, alcoholic beverages, which quickly flash, burn brightly, but quickly fade. Depending on the main components of the dish, brandy, cognac and rum are most often used as fuel.
Naturally, serving such a dish looks spectacular, because firing is carried out in front of visitors. In addition, the cooked food retains the soft aroma of the alcohol used. And a bright but quickly burning flame provides the dish a soft and crispy crust.
By the way, there is also a dish called tarte flambe. What it is? It is a flat pie with filling, which is cooked on an open fire. This is a dish of South German cuisine, so do not confuse these two concepts.
What foods can be prepared in this way?
In fact, using this technique, you can cook almost any dish. For example, in expensive restaurants, customers are offered flambe fruit. It can be bananas, apples, peaches, strawberries, etc.
In addition, flaming well and vegetables. Roasting meat is also possible, but requires some professionalism and experience, as this process is longer. Some establishments serve chicken, veal, and even seafood prepared using the flambe method.
Dish at home: some technical points
Naturally, such delicacies can be prepared at home, but you should start with simpler dishes. In addition, you must follow some safety rules.
To begin with, it should be noted that the temperature during the burning of alcoholic beverages can reach 800–900 degrees. Therefore, it is not recommended to use cookware with non-stick (Teflon) or enamel coating. Even brief exposure to such high temperatures can damage the surface. It is best to choose stainless steel or uncoated cast iron containers.
If you are a beginner, it is better to use dishes with a long handle covered with heat-resistant material (for example, a frying pan or a saucepan) - this will protect the skin of the hands from damage. For ignition, you should not use a lighter - longer mantel matches are more suitable. These simple rules will make cooking safer.
Since the fire goes out quickly, it’s not worth worrying about the food being burnt. If you cook a particularly delicate dish, you can sprinkle with alcohol not the products themselves, but the edges of the pan - the effect will be almost the same.
There is another cooking technique that looks much more impressive, but requires some skills. Professional chefs sometimes pour alcohol into a separate container (for example, a coffee Turk) and set fire to the drink. They pour the dish with burning liquid and wait until the flame goes out. Again, in this case, it is worth using a container with a long handle.
Banana Flambe: Simple and Delicious
Cooking flambe (photo is here) from bananas is quite simple. For four servings you will need the following foods:
- 4 ripe bananas;
- two tablespoons of orange peel;
- 70 g butter;
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice;
- half a glass of orange juice;
- 50 ml of cognac (preferably of high quality);
- 80 g of sugar;
- vanilla ice cream to taste.
Peel the bananas first and cut them into halves. Melt 40 g butter in one skillet and fry the bananas in it. Put the remaining oil on another pan, add the juice of orange, lemon, and sugar. Keep the syrup on low heat for three minutes, stirring constantly. Now put the fried bananas there and warm the dish for a few more minutes.
Before serving guests, delicacy along with zest pour cognac and set on fire. As soon as the fire goes out, you can put slices of bananas on plates with ice cream.
Crepe flambe: recipe for cooking
Put the pancake in the pan. Any berries and fruits can serve as a filling - slices of apples and bananas, strawberries, peeled
orange slices. Sprinkle sugar on top of the fruit and put a slice of butter.
Now pour a small amount of alcohol on the pancake filling (as a rule, use cognac or rum), then set fire to it. As soon as the flame goes out, the dessert is ready to eat. By the way, butter and melted sugar will provide the fruit with a delicious, crisp, fragrant crust.
Delicate delicacy recipe
Dessert “Flambe Zakata” is considered the best option for an unforgettable romantic breakfast, because its gentle and sweet taste gives pleasant relaxation. So how to cook it?
- To start, melt 20 g of butter and add the same amount of sugar. Keep the mixture on fire, stirring constantly, until a caramel mass is formed.
- Pour caramel on the edge of the plate, put 70 g of any berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) into it, pour cognac (20 ml) on top and set fire.
- Now in the center of the finished pancake (you can cook it yourself, or you can buy it in the store) put a ball of ice cream. Fold the pancake so that a pouch forms and secure the edges with a toothpick. Put it on the other side of a wide dining plate.
- You can decorate the dish with mint leaves and fresh berries.
This is how flambe is prepared. This dessert is really distinguished by its exquisite taste. However, do not forget that the main features of the food will be affected by the quality of cognac, so it is better to choose expensive varieties.
Flambe oranges: delicious and spectacular dessert
For another recipe, you will need oranges, granulated sugar, butter and whiskey. This dessert is prepared very simply.
- Peel 6 oranges first. You will prepare four of them, and squeeze the juice out of two.
- Cut the orange peel into small pieces.
- Put four oranges in a frying pan (stewpan). Top each of them with a teaspoon of melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Now put the fruit in the oven and cook for twenty minutes at a temperature of 120 degrees.
- While the oranges are cooking, you can make the sauce. Mix orange juice and zest, add two tablespoons of sugar and one tablespoon of whiskey. Cook the syrup over low heat until it becomes thick.
- Now you can take the fruit out of the oven. Pour each orange with a tablespoon of whiskey and set it on fire. As soon as the fire goes out, pour the fruit sauce, garnish the dish with mint leaves and balls of ice cream.