Banana Ice Cream with Grilled Pineapple

I got this recipe for Banana Ice Cream from Thomas Keller's French Laundry Cookbook.  That book has been one of my favorites for years.  The recipes are so challenging that some seem almost impossible, of course he has a large and talented staff to help him pull of these incredible recipes.  This Banana Ice Cream is surprisingly simple and quite delicious.

Chef Keller serves the ice cream with white chocolate-banana crepes, Chocolate Sauce with a cherry on top, and calls it Banana Split.  It is quite an impressive dish.

I serve this delicious ice cream with grilled pineapple. 

Banana Ice Cream

6 large bananas, peeled
2 to 2 1/2 cups cream
2 to 2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
10 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean, split
Pinch of Kosher salt

Place the bananas, 2 cups Cream, 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla bean in a sauce pan.  Bring the mixture to the simmer and steep for 15 minutes, do not let the mixture boil.

Strain the mixture through a Chinois and discard the solids.  Measure the liquid and add the additional milk and cream to make 4 cups.

Whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar and salt.  Whisk until the yolks and lighter in color and slightly fluffy.

Whisk 1/3 of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper them.  Whisk the tempered eggs into the hot cream mixture and continue whisking over low heat until the mixture is slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

Strain the mixture and chill overnight.

Process in your ice cream freezer.


Grilled Pineapple

1 Pineapple
3 Tablespoons of butter
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Melt the butter and brown sugar, add the lemon juice.

Peel and cut the pineapple into chunks, large enough to grill.

Grill the pineapple while brushing with the butter and brown sugar glaze. continue to grill and baste until the pineapple is glazed and caramelized.

To serve:
Spoon the grilled pineapple and some accumulated juices into a shallow bowl and top with a scoop of the Banana Ice Cream.