Star Anise And Cinnamon Beer Food

BO KHO (VIETNAMESE BRAISED BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• Make the marinade: Stir together fish sauce, sugar, ginger, 5-spice powder and pepper.
• Put beef in a large bowl, add marinade and massage into meat. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if time permits (may be wrapped and refrigerated overnight if desired).
• Put oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry the beef cubes in small batches, taking care not to crowd them, until nicely browned. When all beef is browned, return chunks to pot. Add shallots, stir to combine and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Add tomato, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, salt and annatto, if using, and stir well to coat, then add star anise, cinnamon and chile. Cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer, cover with lid ajar and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until fork-tender.
• Add carrots to pot and cook 15 minutes more. Skim fat from surface of broth as necessary (or refrigerate overnight and remove congealed fat before reheating).
• To serve, ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, mint and basil.

CHICKEN PHO

Steps:

• For the pickle: Combine the carrot, chile, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, brown sugar and sambal in a pint container. Shake to combine. Let sit for 1 hour.
• For the broth: Coat a small stockpot with canola oil and bring to medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and scallions, and sweat until aromatic, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce, star anise and cinnamon. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
• Place chicken breasts in the broth and poach until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. When fully cooked, remove from broth and slice thinly on the bias. Set aside. Strain the broth.
• Blanch and shock in an ice water bath first the sugar snap peas and then the noodles. Set aside.
• To assemble: Place the noodles in a bowl and top with chicken. Garnish with sugar snap peas, pickled vegetables, chopped peanuts, basil and mung beans. Gently pour broth into the bowl. Add a squeeze of lime juice and enjoy!

WASSAIL

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-low heat add the apple cider, orange juice, and pineapple juice.
• Add in the cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, nutmeg, cranberries, orange, and apple slices.
• Let simmer for an hour or all day. Serve hot.

STAR ANISE ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, bring the milk, heavy cream, star anise, and vanilla bean to a simmer for a few minutes. Turn off, and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
• Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together, long enough to dissolve the sugar.
• Temper hot liquid into egg mixture. Return all back into saucepan. Over low heat stirring all the while until mixture starts to thicken, strain through chinois. Chill immediately over ice bath.
• Churn in a standard ice cream machine.

CINNAMON STARS: ZIMTSTERNE (GERMANY)

Steps:

• Sift the confectioners' sugar.
• Put 1/2 cup of the sifted confectioners' sugar, 10 ounces (3 heaping cups) of the almonds and all the cinnamon in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, with just a few larger pieces.
• Whip the egg whites in a large, clean bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until they hold soft peaks, about 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar while whipping, until the whites are thick, creamy and somewhat stiff, about 2 minutes more. Set aside 2/3 cup of this meringue for topping the cookies.
• Fold the ground almond mixture and the lemon zest into the remaining meringue to make a stiff dough.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Lay a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on the work surface and lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Turn the dough out onto the dusted paper, flatten and dust with more sugar as needed, and then lay another sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. Roll the dough between the papers until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Flip the dough over and gently peel off a sheet of the paper. For ease when cutting, lay the paper back on the dough, flip again and gently pull off the other side of the paper so that the dough is fully released from it.
• Cut cookies with a 3-inch star cutter and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Excess dough can be rerolled.) Use a small spoon, brush or offset spatula to spread the reserved meringue over the top of each cookie, taking care not to let the meringue drip over the sides. Press or sprinkle remaining sliced almonds in a decorative pattern into the meringue.
• Bake cookies until bottoms are light golden brown and meringue is set and crisp, about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to release heat and dry cookies out in the oven for 10 more minutes.

CINNAMON STARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the almonds and cinnamon. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add powdered sugar while beating until egg whites become thick and glossy. Gently fold egg whites into almond mixture.
• Lightly dust a board with powdered sugar and roll egg white dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Use a cutter dusted with powdered sugar to cut out stars. Using a spatula, carefully lift stars onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until set through, remove from oven and brush with glaze. Continue baking for 5 more minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool.

FESTIVE RED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish, add the onions and cook on a medium heat for 8-10 mins, then add the star anise and cinnamon stick.
• Pour in the wine and let it simmer until slightly reduced. Add the cabbage, sugar and apples, and stir well. Season well, cover and simmer on a low heat for 3 hrs, stirring every now and again.
• Once the cabbage is tender, check the seasoning. Serve in a bowl with the star anise and cinnamon stick on top. Can be made 1-2 days in advance or frozen for up to 4 months - simply reheat on the hob before serving.