Recipe: Anise Definition and Usage

Hi Sandy:-) Below is some information about anise.

anise
[AN-ihss]
Known as far back as at least 1500 b.c., this small annual plant is a member of the parsley family. Both the leaves and seed have a distinctive, sweet licorice flavor. The greenish brown, comma-shaped anise seed perfumes and flavors a variety of confections as well as savory dishes. It's also used to flavor drinks such as PASTIS, ARRACK, ANISETTE and OUZO. Anise seed plays an important role in the cooking of Southeast Asia. Chinese cooks are more likely to use STAR ANISE than anise seed

Anise Seed
If you've got it, but don't know what to do with it, below are some traditional dishes that the spice complements nicely.

Salads: apple; beet; cabbage; cucumber; fruit

Soups & Stews: cabbage; cauliflower; fruit; rutabaga; turnip

Fish & Poultry: chicken; duck; shellfish

Meats: beef; veal

Vegetables: beets; carrots; sauerkraut; turnips

Pasta, Grains; Dried Beans: noodles; rice

Cheese & Egg Dishes: cheese spreads; cottage cheese; deviled eggs; sandwich spreads

Sauces: fruit; sweet

Desserts: fruit; gingerbread

Miscellaneous: chutneys; marinades; sweet breads

Source: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst, Barron's Educational Services, Inc.