How to Freeze Anise Bulbs

Sweet anise--also known as Florence fennel--has a large, fleshy root that can be boiled, roasted or eaten raw in a number of dishes. If you can't use all of your garden or grocery store crop right away, anise root can be frozen for later use. Young, small and tender anise bulbs freeze the most successfully. Older, larger anise bulbs become tough and chewy after the freezing process, but they still make a tasty addition to soups.

Knife
Water
Pot
Salt
Ice
Container
Freezer bag

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the green stalks off of the white anise bulb.
- 2
  Peel away the outer layers of the root to reveal the more tender core of the bulb.
- 3
  Rub the anise root under running water to rinse the bulb clean.
- 4
  Cut the anise bulb into 1/4-inch slices, chunks or however you intend to use it once thawed. The smaller the pieces, the better they'll freeze.
- 5
  Blanch the anise bulb for 30 seconds. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 3 pinches of salt. Submerge the anise for 30 seconds.
- 6
  Remove the anise from the boiling water and place it immediately into an ice water bath.
- 7
  Remove the anise root from the ice water bath after 10 seconds and lay it on a paper towel to dry.
- 8
  Place the anise root into the freezer bags, mark them with the date and put them in the freezer.

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Bulbs