Banana Pancakes w/ Red Currant Syrup

Happily, on holidays, I do not count calories.

Because of that, it was easy for me to justify loading my plate with a full stack of banana pancakes. I usually make pancakes for the kids and will have one or two. But today, I had an extra incentive to eat: red currant syrup I made this morning from the pint I received this week from our CSA this week.

I was going to bake the currants into muffins. Then it got hot out and turning on the oven seemed like madness. So I started hunting for alternative uses and found this easy-peasey recipe for Ruby-Red Currant Syrup from Under the High Chair.

I didn’t do cornmeal pancakes, but I agree that the red currant syrup would compliment the flavor and texture of cornmeal quite nicely.

Here’s the currant part of the recipe:

Ruby-Red Currant Syrup

2 cups red currants, rinsed
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine (0r water) [I used water, but I’d try wine for a richer syrup]
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon OR 1 whole star anise [I only had powdered and that was just fine. I used a pinch.]

Combine everything in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat ad simmer gently for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Berries will disintegrate and mixture should reduce and thicken slightly. 

 Remove from heat and pass through a fine mesh sieve. Cool slightly and serve with pancakes.

 The banana flavor and sweetened red currant syrup was a nice combo.