Monday, July 02, 2007
How to...Flambe
Flambe has to be one of the best cooking techniques around. Simply add alcohol and light. The result is a show that will impress anyone in the vicinity.
But what is the correct way to do it?
- Heat the brandy or liquor in a saucepan, with high sides, just until bubbles begin to form around the edges. The boiling point of alcohol is 175 degrees F. (much lower than water). The liquor can also be heated in a microwave oven by heating 30 to 45 seconds in a microwave-proof dish at 100 percent power.
- Use a flambé pan with rounded, deep sides and a long handle. Never pour liquor from a bottle into a pan that is near an open flame (the flame can follow the stream of alcohol into the bottle and cause it to explode). NOTE: If the dish doesn't light, it's probably not hot enough. The food to be flambéed must also be warm. Cold foods may cool down the warm liquor where it will not light.
- Once you add the liquor to the pan, do not delay lighting. You don't want the food to absorb the raw alcohol and retain a harsh flavor. Ignite with a long match (such as fireplace matches or a long barbecue lighter). Always ignite the fumes at the edge of the pan and not the liquid itself. Never lean over the dish or pan as you light the fumes.
- Let cook until flame disappears (at this point all alcohol has burned off). If you want to retain some of the alcohol flavor, cover flaming dish to extinguish flames or add additional wine or stock.
- Serve the dish as soon as the flame disappears.
Complients of whatscookingamerica.net.
posted by kent at 8:42 AM
2 Comments:
I've never tried it at home but sometimes ordered flambe food in restaurants.
Btw: Thanks for your invitation and I've sent you a note:-)
Careful when lighting. Burnt a few curls once when I put in too much of the good stuff. Especially if you do it in a pot, the flames shoot up pretty good.
Best flambé recipes I know;
Vodka Chicken penne (you flambé a ton of sautéed garlic in vodka for the sauce).
Triple Sec Caramelized banana flambé on ice cream (mmmm, just caramelize some bananas with butter and brown sugar, add your triple sec at the end and light in front of that special someone. Sure to impress!
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