Bananas Flambe

Remove 4 strips orange zest with a vegetable peeler . Squeeze the orange and strain the juice. Melt the butter with the sugar, orange zest and vanilla bean in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar caramelizes, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the liqueur , orange juice and a pinch of salt. Return the skillet to medium heat, add the bananas, cut-side down, and cook until glazed and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and divide among bowls. Add the rum to the pan and return to medium heat. Warm for a few seconds without stirring, then carefully tilt the pan so the rum ignites (if using an electric stove, hold a lit match near the sauce to ignite it). Spoon the flaming sauce over the bananas. Garnish with whipped cream and the glazed orange zest. Photograph by Marcus Nilsson