Vegetable oil for the grill
4 bananas, ripe but not overly soft
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pint best-quality vanilla ice cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup toasted pecan pieces
2 Tbs. best-quality bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark or Woodford Reserve
Directions
Prepare a medium charcoal or gas grill fire. Brush the grill grate clean.
Slicethe bananas, still in their skin, in half lengthwise and then crosswiseso that each banana yields four pieces. In a small bowl, mix the sugarand cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle the cut sides of the bananas with someof the cinnamon sugar (you may not need it all). Let sit 5 minutes sothe sugar can start to dissolve. Put the bananas cut side down on thegrate and cover the grill. Grill until marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes.Using tongs, flip the bananas, cover the grill, and cook until the skinstarts to pull away from the banana, about 5 minutes more. Remove fromthe grill and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Peel and serve the bananason top of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with the pecan pieces anddrizzled with bourbon.
Serves six to eight