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You Asked For It

Aniseed adds interest to all kinds of recipes

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published October 12, 2005

Lori Ward was seeking aniseed recipes. Jennie Miller's Italian mother used to make aniseed biscotti that were always a family favorite.

Lyn Wood enjoys the licorice flavor that aniseed gives her vinaigrette recipe. She often doubles the recipe because it keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Dave Griswold shares a recipe for turkey wings with an easy mole sauce. He found it on the Food Network web site (www.foodnetwork.com) Anise biscuits are an easy drop biscuit Griswold also likes to make.

For: Lori Ward of Seminole

From: Jennie Miller of Crystal Beach

Recipe: Aniseed Biscotti

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

31/2 cups all-purpose flour

11/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup slivered almonds

2 to 3 tablespoons aniseed

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons shortening

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture. Stir in almonds and aniseed.

Divide dough into thirds; shape into three 10- by 3-inch rectangles on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Carefully remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices, cut side down, on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 16 minutes or until firm and golden brown, turning once. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is set. Refrigerate in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers.

Makes about 3 dozen.

For: Lori Ward of Seminole

From: Lyn Wood of St. Petersburg

Recipe: Aniseed Vinaigrette

1 shallot, quartered

2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

1 teaspoon dried green peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon aniseed

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the shallot, garlic, peppercorns and aniseed in a blender and process on medium speed until mixture is chopped. Add the vinegar and blend well. With motor running, add oil in a stream and blend until dressing is emulsified.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. Keeps well for one week.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

For: Lori Ward of Seminole

From: Dave Griswold of Dunedin

Recipe: Turkey Wings with Easy Mole Sauce

3 cups chopped onion

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon aniseed

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 to 3 cups chicken broth

1 16-ounce can tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons raisins

3 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 3/4 teaspoon salt

2 pounds turkey wings, about 10

Cooked rice as an accompaniment

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

In a large, heavy skillet, saute the onion in the oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until onion is golden brown.

In a mortar with a pestle crush the coriander seeds and the aniseed, stir them into the onion mixture with the chili powder, sugar, cinnamon and cloves, and cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the cocoa powder, peanut butter, 2 cups of the broth, tomatoes, raisins, garlic paste and salt to taste and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, cut off the wing tips, and halve the wings at the joint. Pat the wings dry and season them with salt and pepper. On the oiled rack of a broiler pan, broil them, skin side up under a preheated broiler abut 4 inches from the heat for 10 minutes, or until they turn golden.

Turn the wings and broil them for 10 minutes more, or until they are golden.

In a blender or food processor, puree the sauce in batches, adding the remaining broth as necessary to thin it to the desired consistency. Transfer the sauce to the skillet, add the wings and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Serve the wings with the mole sauce over the rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Serves four to six.

For: Lori Ward of Seminole

From: Dave Griswold of Dunedin

Recipe: Anise Biscuits

11/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

11/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon aniseed, crushed

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and aniseed.

In a small bowl, beat milk, water, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until blended. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.

Spoon batter into 14 equal mounds on greased baking sheets, spacing mounds 2 inches apart.

Bake at 375 degrees until biscuits are firm to the touch and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Serve warm or cool.

Makes 14 biscuits.

Robin May is looking for a recipe she remembers from her childhood called poke cake. She remembers that Jell-O is poured over the top of the cake. She would like a recipe to make for her family.

George Bradbury would like a recipe for camarones enchiladas. It includes shrimp (camarones) and scallops in a wine and tomato sauce.

- You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send recipe requests to You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Recipes will be received by mail only. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

[Last modified October 11, 2005, 09:36:05]