Pear Anise Salad Food

PEAR AND FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon crushed anise seed, salt and pepper in a serving bowl, then slowly whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil. Add 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb, 2 thinly sliced pears and some parsley; season with salt and pepper and toss. Top with shaved pecorino.

PEAR-ANISE SALAD

Steps:

• Simmer 1/2 cup each sugar and water with 3 star anise pods and a pinch of salt until syrupy, stirring, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon grenadine and some dried cranberries. Cool, then cover and chill overnight. Drizzle the syrup over sliced pears and top with a big splash of prosecco.

CINNAMON-ANISE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel, halve and core 2 pears. Put in a shallow dish with 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 star anise pod. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the pears are soft, 8 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon until soft peaks form. Serve the pears with the syrup and cinnamon cream.

ANISE AND PEAR BUBBLY

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over moderate heat, add the nectar, pear liqueur and star anise. Bring up to a boil and turn heat off. Allow to steep for 5 minutes, then discard the star anise. Cool to room temperature and chill until ready to use.
• To serve, drop 1 cranberry to the bottom of each champagne coupe or flute. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced pear mixture for coupe glasses and 3 tablespoons for the flute glasses. Top with Prosecco and enjoy!

PRESERVED PEARS WITH PEPPER, STAR ANISE AND VANILLA SYRUP

Steps:

• Put a rack in a large stockpot, or line the pot with a folded kitchen towel. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Add 6 pint-size canning jars and boil for 10 minutes. Jars may be left in the warm water in the pot until ready to be filled. Alternatively, sterilize the jars by running them through a dishwasher cycle, leaving them there until ready to fill.
• Place canning rings in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the lids to soften their rubber gaskets. Rings and lids may be left in the water until jars are filled.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the lemon juice to keep the pears from browning. Peel, halve and core the pears, dropping them into the water as you go. Meanwhile, make the flavored syrup. Bring 8 cups of water and the sugar to a boil. Add anise, vanilla beans and peppercorns.
• Drain the pears and add to the boiling syrup. Boil for five minutes. Using a slotted spoon, divide pears between six jars. Remove the star anise and vanilla from the syrup, dividing them between jars. Ladle in hot syrup and peppercorns, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Run a plastic knife gently around the inside of jar to remove any air bubbles. Recheck the headspace. There may be extra syrup, but resist overfilling the jars.
• Wipe jar rims clean with a damp towel. Place the lids on the jars, screw on the rings and lower the jars back into the pot of boiling water. Return to a full boil and boil for 20 minutes. Transfer jars to a folded towel and let cool for 12 hours; you should hear them ping as they seal.
• Once cool, test the seals by removing rings and lifting jars by the flat lids. If a lid releases, the seal has not formed. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a month, or reprocessed. Rings and jars may be reused, but a new flat lid must be used each time. To reprocess, reheat syrup to boiling, add back pears, return to boiling, then continue as before.

SALAD OF PEARS AND PARMESAN CHEESE

Steps:

• Peel and core the pears and slice them thin, lengthwise. Place the slices in a bowl and toss with two tablespoons of the vinegar.
• Mix the remaining vinegar with the oils and set aside.
• Place the arugula in a bowl, toss with three tablespoons of the dressing and divide the arugula among six salad plates. Spread the pear slices over the arugula and scatter the cheese, then the walnuts, over the top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, season with pepper and serve.

POACHED ASIAN PEARS WITH STAR ANISE AND TROPICAL FRUIT

Steps:

• Bring first 7 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.
• Peel and core pears. Add to syrup. Add enough water to cover pears. Cover pan; simmer until pears are tender, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl. Increase heat; boil liquid until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 25 minutes. Strain syrup; pour over pears. Chill until cold. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill.)
• Stand 1 pear in center of each plate. Spoon papaya and mango around pear. Spoon syrup over and serve.

STAR ANISE POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Combine sugar 2 tablespoons water, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in a heavy large saucepan.
• Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat and boil with out stirring until syrup turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 9 minutes.
• Remove from heat add 1 1/4 cups of water (the mixture will bubble vigorously).
• Bring to a simmer, stirring until pieces of caramel dissolve.
• Add pears, cover and simmer until tender, turning pears once about 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to bowl.
• Boil liquid in sauce pan until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
• Pour syrup over pears toss gently to coat.
• Chill until cold.
• Serve cold.

POACHED PEARS WITH STAR ANISE

Steps:

• Combine Port, sugar, 1/2 cup water and star anise in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add pears; simmer until tender and liquid is reduced to thin syrup, turning pears occasionally, about 25 minutes. Cool pears in syrup. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Slice pears and fan on plates. Drizzle syrup over. Spoon ice cream alongside.

RADICCHIO, PEAR, AND FENNEL SALAD WITH ANISE ORANGE DRESSING

Steps:

• Make dressing:
• Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.
• Make salad:
• Tear enough fennel fronds, if using, into small sprigs to measure 1/2 cup. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard stalks. Cut out and discard core of bulb, then cut bulb lengthwise into thin strips. Peel and core pears, then cut into 3-inch-long matchsticks. Add fennel strips and fronds to dressing along with pears and radicchio and toss well.

ASIAN PEARS WITH STAR ANISE BAKED IN PARCHMENT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper to measure 12 square inches each. Juice lemon into a small bowl. Halve each pear horizontally. Dip cut sides of pear in lemon juice (to prevent browning). Using a melon baller, remove core from each half.
• Place 1 star anise in cored center of each pear. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over each star anise.
• Place a pear half, cut side up, on each piece of paper. Working with one piece at a time, hold pear half in paper in the palm of your hand; gather edges of paper around fruit with your free hand. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pour 1 tablespoon vermouth into pear half in parchment. Twist paper tightly around top of each fruit to seal. Bake 45 minutes; pears should be tender. Transfer packets to shallow bowls. Serve immediately, opening packets at the table.