Anise Basil Fruit Recipes

ANISE FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water, sugar, lemon juice and aniseed; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and reduced by one-third (about 1-1/2 cups). Remove from the heat; cover and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine honeydew, pineapple, cantaloupe, grapes and oranges. Pour anise mixture over fruit; toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, add strawberries and banana; gently toss. Garnish with kiwi.

SWEET AND SPICY FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Place sugar, 3/4 cup water, chile and star anise in a small pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture is as thick as maple syrup and spicy tasting. Strain syrup. (Syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance; store in the refrigerator.)
• Toss fruit with half of the sugar syrup, the tarragon and the basil. Add more syrup to taste, depending on how sweet and spicy you want the salad. Season very lightly with salt and pepper. If desired, add dollops of mascarpone or crumbled ricotta salata on top.

FRUIT SALAD WITH STAR ANISE SYRUP

Steps:

• Prepare the fruit and chill in the fridge.
• Just before serving, in a small saute pan, warm the orange juice, maple syrup, cinnamon and star anise and mix well to infuse their flavors. Remove from the heat and chill in the fridge.
• Just before serving, arrange the fruit into shallow dessert bowls, drizzle with the chilled syrup and sprinkle with the extra pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh mint.

BASIL JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water and basil to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Strain and discard basil. Return 3-2/3 cups liquid to the pan. Stir in pectin and, if desired, food coloring. Return to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in sugar. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam., Ladle hot liquid into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

GRILLED SIRLOIN STEAK WITH ANISE BASIL BUTTER

Steps:

• To prepare the steak
• Prepare grill.
• Make butter: In a small bowl stir together butter ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until well blended and juice is incorporated.
• Grill Steaks: In a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag or between 2 sheets of wax paper crush peppercorns and anise seeds with bottom of a heavy skillet. Pat steak dry and coat both sides with peppercorn mixture, pressing it in.
• Season steak with salt and brush both sides with oil. Grill steak on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat. (Alternatively, steaks may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer steak with tongs to a platter and let stand 10 minutes.
• Top steak with dollops of anise basil butter.
• To make the fennel:
• Prepare grill.
• Quarter fennel bulbs lengthwise into wedges. In a steamer set over boiling water steam fennel, covered, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Brush fennel quarters with oil and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. (Alternatively, fennel may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer grilled fennel with tongs to a serving dish. Squeeze lemon to taste over fennel and season with salt and pepper.