By Paul Suplee,
MBA, CEC, PC-3

As much as I love the snow, I lament not protecting my babies this winter. I never chopped down my banana palms and covered the roots with insulation as is the annual ritual, and frankly they haven’t asked to come down.

Typically, and especially in cold winters, they will sag and droop at the first sign of cold weather (something that a 53-year-old man is not usually comfortable discussing), but this winter has been different.

They have stood the trial in rare form, neither flinching nor falling limp. It is rather impressive, truth be told.

In fact, one tree that I picked up two weeks ago – with the intention of yanking it out of the ground and throwing away – yielded evidence that it was already sprouting for the oncoming spring. So, all I need is for these trees to make it six more weeks…give or take.

Why do I love these “trees” so much? Maybe it’s the bucolic tropical ambience that they lend to the landscape in my backyard: envision a small tawdry hotel in Key West with a crappy pool, rickety chaise lounges, terrible food and just enough tropical shrubs to make that $15 rail-tequila margarita taste completely worth the price.

Maybe it’s the fact that I can use the leaves for cooking: I love making tamales in them, and grilling and steaming seafood in banana leaves that I loved so much over the years in the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Hawai’i.

Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the fact that these bastards are weeds. They are just mean, never-dying, wide-spreading weeds. It’s hard to kill the damn things.

Every year around June, I give about 30 sprouts away, and then I still go Hannibal Lecter on the rest of them, mowing them down with an incredibly satisfied yet menacing smirk that would prevent you from asking for that extra cup of ranch dressing for your wings if I were your server.

I hate yardwork, and “hate” is a strongly underserved word for this sentiment. Loathe? Simply imagining the snow melting and the grass growing tightens my chest, my face resting in a bitter and tight grimace as my arms sit folded across my chest. God, I hate yardwork. So, yes, these little darlings are truly my babies. They bring me solace.

My only challenge is keeping the dogs off them until the trees have a chance to grow above four feet. Once the dogs get their inaugural annual taste, it is difficult to keep them away.

While these Japanese hybrids will never grow a fruit a day in their lives, if you bite into the stem, the flavor is unmistakable.  There is nothing but the tannins of an unripe banana, and it is wonderful.

In Hawai’i, these are used in Lau Lau and many other dishes. In the Bahamas, it is not unusual to find them finely wrapped around lobster and prawn. In Costa Rica (as well as the aforementioned El Salvador), tamales find their home inside these lovely wrappers.

Remind me to tell you about Miss Sylvia one day. Man, was she mean. But, she did teach me how to make tamales, so I’ll take the bruises.

I’m just happy to know that they will be back in a few months: my friends. My little babies.

Fresh Fish in Banana Leaves

Serves 4

4 whole fresh banana leaves (or frozen this time of year)

2 lb. Assorted fresh and high quality seafood

2 in. Peeled and smashed ginger

4 ea. Cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 Stick unsalted, grass-fed butter

Splash sesame oil per packet

4 ea. Spring onions, sliced

1 c. White wine

2 Tbsp. Soy sauce

2 Tbsp. Sugar in the raw, jaggery or brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Rice wine vinegar

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. If the leaves are large, strip the rib out of the middle and use either side as your wrapper. If the leaves are somewhat small, you may have to leave them whole and lightly smash the rib to get the leaves nice and pliable.

As the leaves get “older” (it’s an annual, for God’s sake) they get tougher. You may have to dip them in water over 140F to loosen them up a bit. Otherwise, they can simply shred apart.

2. After that, it’s all simple, or at least as simple as rolling a burrito.

3. Top the leaf with some seafood and the remaining ingredients.

4. Look up a burrito-wrapping video, and follow those instructions to the T. I honestly would not have enough words left to describe how to do it.

5. The beauty of the banana leaves is twofold. It adds an induplicable flavor to the food, and it acts as a protective barrier to your precious seafood, as follows in the next step.

6. Heat a grill and cook the seafood until it is cooked through. It is quite similar to the old French technique en papillote but with actual flavor, an insult I write with a modicum of chagrin considering my own lineage.

7. When the leaves are properly scorched, and the seafood is cooked through, merely serve them as they are. Serve with a salad or grilled vegetables.

Frankly, I don’t care. Just serve them as they are and afford your guests the privilege of opening up their special packages to enjoy. There is little in the culinary world to compare to it

—Paul Suplee is a Professor
of Culinary Arts at Wor-Wic Community College
and owner of boxcar40 and boxcar on main.
Visit him at www.boxcar40.com; www.boxcaronmain.com