• 4 anise bulbs, stems removed (save a few anise leaves for garnish)
• 1 bouquet garni (3″ piece of celery tied with thyme, parsley and a bay leaf)
• 4 quarts of water
• 1 Tbspn of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbspn of freshly grated Parmesan
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the anise bulbs and the bouquet garni. Cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Drain anise and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 375°F. Gently squeeze the bulbs to remove excess water. Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise and arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the olive oil, cheese, salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer the anise to a serving platter. Garnish with the anise fronds which you can cut finely over the dish with scissors. Makes 4 servings.