Destination Cocktail: Hot banana buttered rum

Former Le Cirque and Citrus chef Rémi Lauvand has landed in downtown L.A. at a sleek new restaurant called Le Ka. For his head mixologist, the acclaimed French chef (who is cooking food from all over the world at Le Ka) has chosen South Carolina native Andrew Parish. Parish is all about expanding the relationship between food and drink, often incorporating the former into the latter. Take for example his hot banana buttered rum, which employs rich butter and mashed bananas in the service of creating a mouth-watering hot cocktail that feels very much like a meal. With cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and cloves, this rich drink is the perfect thing to sip at the end of a long night.

Le Ka, 800 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, (213) 688-3000, lekarestaurant.com

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Hot banana buttered rum

15 minutes, plus chilling time. Serves 1

BANANA BUTTER

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1/3 ripe banana, well-mashed

1/4 cup (2 ounces) brown sugar

Scant ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Small pinch grated nutmeg

Small pinch ground cloves

Very small pinch grated star anise

1/4 Fuji apple, finely grated

In the bowl of a food processor or mixer, combine the butter, banana, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, star anise and apple, blending until smooth. Place the mixture in plastic wrap and roll into a log. Refrigerate until firm. The log makes enough for more than one cocktail, and it will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week.

HOT BANANA BUTTERED RUM

Prepared banana butter log

2 ounces dark rum, preferably Diplomático

Star anise, for garnish

Cut a half-inch piece of the butter log and place into a coffee mug. Add the rum and fill the remainder of the mug with boiling water. Garnish with star anise.

EACH SERVING

Calories 263

Protein 0 grams

Carbohydrates 9 grams

Fiber 0 grams

Fat 12 grams

Saturated fat 7 grams

Cholesterol 31 mg

Sugar 8 grams

Sodium 4 mg

NOTE: Adapted from a recipe from mixologist Andrew Parish at Le Ka. Parish recommends using the steamer attachment on an espresso maker to froth the drink before serving: “For me, presentation is everything, and this method definitely makes a difference.�