Help! What to do with fresh star anise?

[Krys Stanley]

A market near me was selling fresh organic star anise for 10 cents. At that price I figured I buy it and figure out what to do with it ... what DO i do with it?

I have three bulbs. Also there is the frilly green top. Can I use that?

Recipes I see on the web just use the dried version.

Hope to get some help. It smells wonderful.

Edited July 7, 2007 by Krys Stanley (log)

[cdh]

Not star anise (which is the fruit of an evergreen shrub). Just plain anise (aka fennel) comes in big bulbs with frilly foliage. Use it raw in a salad. Add some into a mirepoix. Stir fry it. Sweat it with some onions.

Edited July 8, 2007 by cdh (log)

[Malkavian]

Just a random thought--once it's gotten to the supermarket is it past using as cuttings or planting the bulb to get an ongoing supply?

[Krys Stanley]

Thanks.

I made a fennel-themed diner the higlight of which was a fennel, radish, celery and parsley salad. The fennel bulb, radish and celery was thinly sliced. The feathery fennel leaves and chopped fresh parsley added and everything was tossed with vinagrette. It was an excellent blend of flavors.

I also added some fennel to butter and put it on corn on the cob. The trout on a bed of fennel leaves was microwaved.

All was wonderful with a nice white wine.

The market must have mislabelled it. It was also very small fennel, maybe 2 inces across and 1/2 inch thick.

Edited July 9, 2007 by Krys Stanley (log)

[Reefpimp]

Star anise, fennel, pineapple and jalapeno chutney: Cut a bunch of everything up (proportionately), sweat gently in what you think is probably too much butter, add a big splash of fruit juice. Reduce for a while and thicken slightly with cornstarch slurry.