Want to play with fire and impress your guests? From boozy bananas to flame-kissed pork, we lit up some flambé recipes to test out these smoky dishes filled with drama.

What is flambe?  

Flambe involves heating a spirit in a pan or adding it to a hot skillet with food and setting it alight. This allows the alcohol to burn off and leave behind a rich flavour. Once the alcohol is completely burnt out, the flames die out.  

Why do we flambe?  

Flambeing food helps to enhance its flavour. As the alcohol burns out, sugars in the alcohol and food will caramelise. Plus, it offers a dramatic visual effect for an impressive tableside party trick.  

How to flambe  

When your dish is just about done and the pan is still hot, remove it from the heat and gently pour in the alcohol (such as rum or brandy). Immediately light the alcohol using a long lighter or match, or by tipping your skillet toward the open flame of a gas hob. Flames will appear so move your hand away quickly after lighting, and stand back as the alcohol burns.  

Alcohol to use  

To guarantee a clean burn, use liquors such as brandy, rum, vodka or whisky, ideally containing between 40-60% alcohol. Low- alcohol wines, beers, or liqueurs should not be used since they will not ignite.  

Safety first  

• Flambe in a well-ventilated area.
• To avoid flare-ups, remove the pan from the heat source before adding alcohol.
• The alcohol needs to heat up before it can ignite. 
• Never pour alcohol straight from the bottle into a hot pan. 
• Keep an eye out for high flames; to be safe, tie your hair back anddon’tlean over the pan.  
• Always keep a fire extinguisher on-hand.

Recipes & styling: Lichelle May

Photography: Zhann Solomons

The post What is flambé?   appeared first on MyKitchen.