Renowned chef, restaurateur and master of the Caribbean’s “cuisine of the sun” Cindy Hutson has a new book out that you’ll want to read cover to cover if you’ve ever loved a fried grouper sandwich. With recipes from her travels, fishing expeditions, restaurants and other places you’ll find some of the best spicy grilled chicken on the planet, From the Tip of My Tongue is a fresh look at island cuisine from one of its champions. And let’s not forget the bananas and rum. Or the deep-fryer. 

This was my first original restaurant dessert, served at Norma’s on the Beach. Customers loved it, so I took it with me to every restaurant we opened, where it was always the top-selling dessert. Every pastry chef scowled at me, though, because the batter was almost impossible to stick on those rum-soaked bananas. Finally, at Ortanique on the Mile, I had to take them off the menu because the fire department said I didn’t have the right hood in the pastry station for the fryers, and I could no longer cook them. Customers said they would boycott. No, really; they were irate. I still hear about it today. I even heard about the displeasure of a Coral Gables fireman who remains anonymous. So you see, even at home, they are worth the hassle.

Yes, these bananas are time-consuming. Yes, they can be frustrating. But they are truly worth it. I do recommend a Presto FryDaddy to fry these, as a pot with oil is just too hard to keep consistent heat-wise. Good luck!

Reprinted with permission from From the Tip of My Tongue