140 sear recipes

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.

This Eastern European compote simmers dried apples, pears, prunes, and raisins in apple cider with honey and warm spices. A make-ahead fruit dessert that improves over two weeks in the fridge.

Wine fruit cup with sliced plums, nectarines, and golden raisins soaked in a spiced white wine syrup infused with anise, cinnamon, and lemon. A chilled starter that doubles as a light summer dessert.

Poached pears with chocolate drizzle: Bosc pear wedges simmered in white wine and apple juice with warm spices, then crowned with melted dark chocolate. An elegant light dessert.

Microwave poached pears glazed with orange marmalade, brown sugar, and citrus zest, served chilled with a creamy yogurt sauce. A light, elegant fruit dessert.

Lemon anise biscotti with fresh lemon zest and star anise, twice-baked until crisp and golden. A crunchy Italian cookie that stores for a month and pairs beautifully with espresso.

Five-spice tofu simmered in soy sauce, star anise, and molasses for a deeply savory, aromatic Chinese-style appetizer. Make-ahead and keeps in the fridge for a week.

Brandy-flambéed chicken baked with fresh apples, pears, sliced mushrooms, and apple wine until tender and saucy. An elegant fall dinner that comes together in just 35 minutes. Serve over couscous or rice.

Roasted duck with a green peppercorn and star anise sauce made from homemade duck giblet broth. The duck is salt-poached first, then roasted until crispy. A refined French-inspired main course.

A fragrant homemade Chinese ten-spice blend with toasted star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, coriander, and cumin. Toast, grind, and store for marinades, stir-fries, sauces, and meat rubs.

Uzvar is a traditional Ukrainian dried fruit compote simmered in apple cider with honey, cloves, and cinnamon. Warm, fruity, and gently spiced, it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Grilled mahi mahi with a spicy Asian pear salsa of plum sauce, serrano chili, cilantro, and honey. A Pacific Rim fish dinner in 40 minutes.

Pear and parsnip salad with blanched parsnips, fanned fresh pear slices, green onions, and a light honey yogurt dressing. A low-fat, elegant side for fall and winter.

Baked winter squash and fruit roasts butternut, yam, apple, pear, and banana with cider and warm spices. A naturally sweet, oil-free Thanksgiving side dish.

Whole duck gets blanched, coated in a sweet-spicy glaze of brown sugar, ginger, and star anise, then roasted until the skin turns crackling-crisp for rolling into Chinese pancakes with hoisin and scallions.