Banana Recipe: Coconut Curry Bananas

Coconut Curry Bananas. Photo by Shaina Olmanson

Here is a recipe for Coconut Curry Bananas, as featured on TV during a banana cooking segment on Twin Cities Live Like most of Tony's recipes, it's an easy one to tweak and adjust to suit your taste. It's shown on TV with grilled, jerk-rubbed red snapper, but is a tasty accompaniment to any grilled fish, meat, or just over plain rice.

Coconut Curry Bananas
by Tony Panelli, Caribe Caribbean Bistro

1 Cup coconut milk
3 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
3 large bananas

Peel and slice bananas into 1" rounds. In a medium sauce pan, add desired amount of coconut milk, up to 1 cup (can be adjusted for taste & sauce consistency). Stir in curry powder and ginger, and add bananas. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until bananas just begin to fall apart. Serve over basmati rice. Goes well with grilled fish or pork.

Summer Grilling Recipe: Grilled Tilapia with Jerk Butter & Roasted Root Vegetables.

Summer is upon us in Minnesota (finally!). Looking for something different to try on the grill? Here is a recipe Tony's served as a special. It's easy to do in foil packets on the grill. Any fresh herbs from your garden will work, and any fish, really (fresh caught in Minnesota, perhaps?). Don't be afraid to experiment with the ingredients. It's an easy recipe to change up to suit your tastes.

Grilled Tilapia with Jerk Butter and Roasted Root Vegetables

Tilapia (or any other white fish) fillets
1 Lime
Fresh thyme (or other fresh herb)
Salt
Pepper
1/2 C Butter (1 stick), softened
Bottle of jerk marinade
Foil
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Yuca
1 Carrot
1 Sweet potato
1 Taro
1 Plantain (green)
1 Tblsp. olive oil

Grilled Tilapia
Cut a large piece of foil for each fillet; large enough to make a pouch. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 fillet on each piece of foil. Squeeze lime over fish and salt and pepper to taste. Top each with 2 sprigs of thyme or other fresh herb. Close foil tightly, leaving air space inside for steam to cook the fish. Grill for 7 to 9 minutes or until fish is fully cooked. Cooking time will vary depending on the temperature of the grill.

Roasted Root Vegetables
Heat oven to 350º. Wash, peel and cut all vegetables into thin, fry-size strips, no thicker than 1/8". Put in mixing bowl and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper (as desired) and toss until vegetables are coated. Spray coat sheet pan with cooking spray and place vegetables on pan. Roast for 20 min 350º or until vegetables are tender.

Jerk Butter
Place stick of butter in mixer w/ 2 Tblsp. jerk marinade. Mix until well incorporated.

When fish is done, top with 1 Tbsp of jerk butter and serve with root vegetables.

We have a winner!

We chose Christine F.'s entry as the winner. Christine nominated her mom, Melinda to win the two VIP dinner tickets to the Dole Banana Dinner.
Congratulations Melinda!

Here is Christine's entry:

Good Evening and thank you for the chance to win tickets to your VIP Dole Banana Dinner.

I'm excited to nominate my mom, Melinda, for the honor. I believe she would enjoy an evening on the town as a break from the craziness of her everyday life. Things in her world are truly "bananas!" Not only does Mom work as a high school principal's secretary, she helps organize the scheduling of all the 2000+ students in the school (no small task). When her work day is done, Mom comes home to the house we share with our crazy dog, who has yet to realize he's a dog. One of their favorite snack foods to share actually happens to be bananas (though if it comes in the form of her home baked banana bread he's even happier). Finally, Mom lends constant support to a network of friends and family around the country without a complaint. I rarely see her take a moment out of the day for herself, and I would think that enjoying your VIP Dole banana dinner would have great "a-peel" to her.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you could consider "Dole"-ing out the banana dinner honor to my amazing mom, Melinda.

Best Regards,
Christine F.