Sunday, October 5, 2008

Anise, the Star

The thrill of cooking lies in the neverending possibilities offered by the seemingly infinite list of available ingredients. This is what draws me to foreign cuisines like South American, Middle Eastern, or Scandinavian. If it weren't for these outside influences, I wouldn't have staples like turmeric, sumac, lemongrass, green curry paste, celeriac, ras el hanout, or star anise in my pantry.

Star anise is unrelated to anise, but got its name due to the similar licorice flavor. The compound called anethole is responsible for the licorice aroma, and is found in fennel as well. Star anise is a fruit that is harvested from its tree right before it ripens. Asian recipes use it in soups and meat dishes. Europeans have been incorporating it in the production of liquors such as Sambuca, absinthe, and Pernod. Recent Bird Flu scares have put star anise in the spotlight since it is the primary source for the anti-flu drug Tamiflu. As is often the case, a medicinal ingredient like star anise that is used in contemporary applications, has already long been in use as an ancient remedy. Chewed or brewed as a tea, it is believed to relieve abdominal pain and other digestive disorders; its oils can also be applied topically to treat conditions such as earaches or bronchitis.

I haven't had much use for star anise until chef Heston Blumenthal declared that caramelizing onions with some star anise will greatly enhance the flavors of any accompanying meat. He uses it in his "perfect" recipe for Spaghetti Bolognese. I used it to sweat some onions that were to go with a beautiful slice of NY Steak. Blumenthal was absolutely on the money: the steak was enhanced by the aroma infused into the onions. Try it yourself and tell me what you think.

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