33 star anise recipes

Poaching pears in red wine is a classic way to make pears into a dessert. Pears are poached in red wine with star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks infused, which makes the pears tender, soft and tasty. Serve the warm pear with the syrup sauce and some good quality ice cream.

An Indian inspired recipe is full of flavor, a great side dish with some grilled meat.

An impossibly delicious almond biscotti recipe; dip it into that hot cup of tea or coffee, it melts in your mouth, and you will swear it’s a perfect bite of food.

This recipe comes from Italy by way of Argentina. Maxwell Mowry of Charleston got this recipe when he lived in Buenos Aires in the early l970s. Since there are more people of Italian ancestry in Argentina than of Spanish ancestry, it is not surprising to find panettone there, where it is called in Spanish pan dulce, meaning 'sweet bread.' At Christmas in Argentina, pan dulce is eaten accompanied by sparkling apple cider. Houseware shops in Argentina sell special tall cylindrical springform pans to bake the pan dulce, but an empty, greased 1-pound coffee can may be used.

A savory and hearty soup made with succulent beef, hot chili sauce and bean sprouts.

Italian spring bread for the bread machine, a lightly sweet honey loaf scented with star anise and studded with golden raisins. Perfect for Easter brunch and morning toast.

Double anise almond biscotti with anise extract, ground star anise, and slivered almonds in a twice-baked Italian cookie. Crisp enough to dunk in espresso or vin santo.

Sambusak (Sephardic stuffed pastries) with a yeasted anise-scented dough filled with spiced ground beef, deep-fried to golden. A traditional Jewish meat pastry for holidays and gatherings.

Italian biscotti with candied cherries, chopped nuts, and a hint of star anise. Twice-baked for that signature dry crackly snap, perfect for dunking in coffee, espresso, or vin santo.

Melt-in-your mouth balls topped with crunch sesame seeds are a delicious, not too sweet, accompaniament to coffee or tea.

Traditional New Mexican biscochitos with anise seed and cinnamon-sugar topping. These shortening-based cookies are crisp, fragrant, and cut into festive shapes.

Rio Grande-style biscocitos with butter, anise seed, and brandy, dusted in cinnamon sugar before baking. Crisp, fragrant, and easy to cut into festive shapes. Makes 3 dozen.

Salmon wrapped in rice paper, seared until crisp, then baked and served over julienned vegetables in an aromatic soy-sake broth with lemongrass and star anise. A restaurant-worthy Asian fusion dinner.

Chocolate-dipped biscotti flavored with Pernod, bourbon, and anise seed with chopped almonds baked twice for a crisp, crunchy snap. Dipped in melted chocolate chips the day they're served for a glossy finish.

Classic Italian biscotti studded with toasted walnuts and star anise, double-baked until crisp for perfect dunking in coffee or wine.

Traditional New Mexican biscohos cookies spiced with cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, then dusted with cinnamon sugar while still warm from the oven. A cherished holiday cookie that fills the kitchen with the most intoxicating aroma.