The Aniseed Attraction

The Aniseed Attraction

Anise Seed-Pimpinella anisum
Anise is a member of the family of plants that includes carrots, caraway, cumin, dill, fennel, and cilantro. It has a strong licorice-like flavor and scent, and the essential oil is used to flavor licorice candy. Foods with licorice flavoring often contain anise and not any licorice at all.  Whole or ground anise, although flavor is better if the fruits are stored whole and then ground just before use. Anise is used in French carrot dishes, East Indian curries, Hispanic stews, and Scandinavian breads. It balances the flavors of bay leaf and cinnamon. Anise is also used to flavor liqueurs such as ouzo, anisette, pastis, Pernod, Ricard, anesone, ojen, aguardiente, arrak, kabib, and raki.
The process of heating anise in baked goods releases compounds that act as very mild stimulants.  The flavor released in grinding and baking slows the decay of the baked goods that otherwise might result from fungi or molds. Anise is also used to flavor many herbal medicines.
Anise seed is native to the Mediterranean basin, and has been used throughout history in both sweet and savory applications. Anise has long been known as an aid to digestion. The Romans ended their elaborate feasts with anise cakes. In the Mediterranean, anise is featured heavily in cakes, breads, cookies and liquors. In small amounts, anise makes a nice addition to sausage, or in tomato sauce.  Anise seeds are not botanically related to star anise, but have nearly identical flavors and in ground form can be substituted for each other.
This annual, aromatic plant does not propagate in the wild, it is grown from seed.  It thrives in nourishing, permeable ground in a sunny location.  The fruit, or seed, is greenish-gray, and nearly oval in shape.  Before the seeds are ripe, the whole plant is hung to dry.  Then, the small seeds are knocked off and dried. Anise seeds have a sweet perfume and a strong taste similar to that of licorice.  The seeds are used in Indian cuisine to enhance the flavor of soups and fish.  In Italy and Germany they are added to bread and to strong gingerbread dough.
Anise Star is from an Evergreen Tree that is native to China. These trees can bear fruit for over a century. The tree bears yellow flower that ripens into a brown star shaped spice. Anise star is an important spice in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking and is an essential ingredient in the Chinese five spice powder. St is not the same as anise seed. Anise Star has more of a robust flavor than the anise seed. Anise Star is rusty brown, star shaped ranging from 1" to 1-1/2"wide. Whole anise star can be kept for a long time in an airtight container in a dark place.  Anise Star Tip:  For extra flavor add a star inside the cavity of a whole chicken before roasting.





Anise Sweet Buns
1 package yeast
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Anise Seed
1 c milk, scaled and cooled
1 large egg
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
4-5 c all purpose flour
2 1/2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c light brown sugar

Place yeast, 1 teaspoon of the sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm water for 15 minutes or until foamy.  Stir in the remaining sugar and next 5 ingredients.  Put 4 cups of flour in a bowl; stir in the milk mixture until combined well.  Knead dough on floured surface to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.  Form dough into a ball; place in a buttered bowl; turn to coat.  Let rise, covered with plastic wrap until double in bulk.  Punch down, knead for 15 seconds.  Divide into 24 pieces.  Form pieces into balls; arrange on 2 buttered baking sheets; let rise, uncovered, till double in bulk.  Brush with remaining butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake at 400
degrees for 15 minutes.

Cinnamon Anise Cookies
2 eggs
2 c shortening
1 c plus 3 T.  sugar, divided
1/2 c orange juice
2 tsp Anise Seed
6 c all purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Cream shortening and 1 cup sugar.  Beat in eggs, orange juice, and anise seed.  Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.  Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar.  Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness, cut with 2" cookie cutter dipped in flour.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.

Poached Peaches with Ginger & Anise
6 ripe peaches
5 c water
2 1/2 c sugar
1/4 c slivered ginger
6 Star Anise

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.   Drop peaches into post and remove after 10-15 seconds for easy peeling.  Combine water, sugar, ginger, and anise in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, peel peaches and add to pan.  Poach for 12 minutes; let fruit cool in mixture.  Chill and transfer peaches and liquid to serving dish.

Mulled Wine
2 naval oranges
1 small lemon
2 bottles dry red wine
1 c sugar
10 Peppercorns
4 Star Anise
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Remove zest from oranges and lemon with vegetable peeler.  Squeeze juice from both fruits. Bring wine, zest, juices, sugar, peppercorns, star anise, and nutmeg to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved; simmer 2 minutes.  Pour mulled wine through a strainer.

Pickled Vegetables
3 1/3 c distilled white vinegar
3 1/3 c white grape juice
12 fresh dill sprigs
8 small Red Chilies, halved
8 whole Star Anise
4 strips lemon peel
4 bay leaves
2 1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds
2 T. honey
1 T. salt

Combine all ingredients on large, non-reactive saucepan.  Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer 10 minutes. Strain into bowl; return brine to same pan and set aside.

24 white or purple pearl onions
24 baby carrots
18 cauliflower florets, small
15 baby pattypan squash, cut in half
16 thick slices cucumber
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
24 firm cherry tomatoes
6 whole Star Anise
6 bay leaves
6 fresh dill sprigs
2 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 red or green Serrano chilies, halved
2 wide mouth quart jars

Steam onions till tender; cool and peel.  Steam carrots; cool.  Steam cauliflower; cool.  Steam squash; cool.  Steam cucumber; cool.  Begin with bell pepper and layer half of each vegetable, including tomatoes, into jar pressing layers firmly.  Put in half of star anise, bay leaves, dill sprigs, garlic slices and chilies.  Repeat in second jar.  Bring to boil.  Ladle into jars to fill completely. Close jars tightly.  Let stand at room temperature until completely cool.
Chill 2 days.

Elegant Pear Salad
1 shallot
1 whole Star Anise
1/3 c vegetable oil
3 T. orange juice
2 ripe pears
4 Belgian endives
5 oz. bleu cheese

Chop shallot and crush star anise.  In a blender, blend shallot, oil, and juice. Place in bowl, stir in anise and salt and pepper to taste.  Chill.  Strain dressing and discard solids.  Halve and core pears.  Cut into 1/4 inch slices, lengthwise.  Arrange on a lined baking sheet.  Roast 10 minutes; cool.  Separate endive leaves and cut crosswise.  On a plate, arrange pears, endive, and cheese.  Drizzle dressing on top.  Garnish with parsley.