82 sear recipes

Pork loin roast studded with garlic and parsley, then slow-roasted with frequent basting in a chicken broth, white wine, and star anise glaze. The anise gives the meat a subtle warm-spice depth that sets it apart from a standard roast.

Salt-free seasoning blend with garlic powder, basil, star anise, oregano, and lemon zest. A homemade spice mix for low-sodium cooking that adds real flavor without the salt.

Nutty cheese brulee: warm Brie drizzled with fruit or chocolate ice cream topping and a scatter of toasted pecans, microwaved until soft and served with crackers and fresh fruit. A 3-minute appetizer.

Five spice plum sorbet purees canned plums with dry sherry and Chinese five spice powder, then churns into a fragrant Asian-inspired summer sorbet. Five ingredients, no added sugar.

Roast duckling glazed with apricot basting sauce, served with wild rice studded with toasted pine nuts, chopped pears, and currants. An elegant holiday centerpiece.

Homemade Italian-style turkey sausage seasoned with fennel seed, oregano, thyme, garlic, and a whisper of star anise. Lean alternative to pork sausage with the same classic flavor.

Another homemade Italian sausage, mild or hot as desired.

Eight-spice crispy skinned snapper with Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cumin, coriander, white pepper, and ginger. Pan-seared then oven-roasted for shatteringly crisp skin.

Homemade spiced herbal liqueur infused with cardamom, star anise, angelica root, cinnamon, and mace in vodka. Steep for one week, strain, and sweeten with sugar syrup.

Gin-marinated smoked salmon with brown sugar, pickling spices, and star anise. Bruised spices create complex flavor in this 2-hour cold-smoke recipe.

Indian-style deep-fried whitefish marinated in a garlic, cumin, coriander, and star anise paste with lemon juice. Crispy, golden, and packed with warm spice.

Traditional Chinese vegetarian ham made from bean curd sheets marinated in soy sauce, star anise, and cloves, then steamed and sliced cold. A plant-based deli classic.

Crispy skinned red snapper crusted with eight spices including Szechuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, and cumin. Pan-seared then oven-roasted for shatteringly crisp skin.

Baked Brie with a homemade cranberry-pear compote, honey, currants, and pumpkin pie spice. A warm, bubbly holiday appetizer served with melba rounds or sliced fruit.

A multi-day Sichuan duck project: dry-rubbed with toasted spiced salt, air-dried overnight, steamed, battered, and deep-fried to shattering crispness. Includes a tea-smoked variation. Worth every step.

Chinese crispy beef shin marinated with star anise and cinnamon, simmered, frozen, sliced paper-thin, deep-fried, then tossed with caramelized sugar and toasted sesame seeds.