Bloody Tom Bloody Kerridge!

[Jux]

Lasagne. He says put in star anise (4 !!!) so I do. I've even made the little muslin bag thing.

Here's the recipe www.waitrose.com/home/tv/pasta_pizza/parky-s-top-tabletomkerridgesspaghettibolognese.html?source=aff_awin&utm_source=Skimlinks&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_campaign=bau&source=aff_awin&awc=3691_1442946215_37173d327b0c14aa5dc5634810f39810

So it's been cooking a while now, and all we can taste is aniseed. Luckily this is for tomorrow evening, but it's a huge amount of food and I shall be sad if we have to go for takeaway.

What counteracts/masks aniseed?
Has anyone made this recipe, and was it less aniseedy the next day when the flavours have melded?

Is there anything I can do?

I'd recookthe mince in new stock, then cook again and once more for luck. You can also add a carrot to absorb the aniseed flavour, discarding afterwards. Big chunks.

4 star anise is a lot! No wonder it tastes of aniseed and a bit odd for a beef ragu.

Can't do that Ooooooh, it's at the stage where everything is in the pot doing the 1 1/2 hr simmer thing at the end of the ragu bit. I would start again and do my normal bolognese/ragu, but no more mince, butcher shut.

I'm working tomorrow so can't make it in advance - I'd have to go to butcher after work, start cooking at 4 ish for eating at 6.30/7ish.

Luna, absolutely. It was a lot of ingredients though so thought it'd be OK.

No ideas about what can kill aniseed?

I shall never do TK recipe again!

I've given you the wrong recipe! Sorry. It's is one: www.nationalbookawards.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2014/10/TKBED-sampler.pdf

I thought the principal was that you cooked the star anise with onions first and that enhances the flavour of the meat? So putting in a muslin bag is a bit counterproductive. Silly TK.

I have tried just one of his recioes and it was a disaster and it took two bloody days - never again!

The aniseedy thing apparently works because Heston says so with his science. But half of it would have been enough.

Actually what we do is add a small amount of 5-spice which does have star anise in it. It does add a lot of depth without being overwhelming.

But FOUR star anise. Madness.

Well, I've added some marmite and some tomato puree and it's a bit better. I thought maybe some milk could tone it down a bit too.

It's still very liquid too. Completely wrong consistency.

Be warned! TK seems a really nice guy, but .....

Oh God. We made this. It was foul, sorry. And we're good cooks so it wasn't a lack of skill on our part.

I'm a good cook too - usually. My bolognese is to die for! I really really wish I'd just done that, but I wanted to make it extra extra special.

NeverEverAnythingEver, I hate HB. He's a twat.

Actually, I could cry. It was sooooo much effort and faff. I only have limited energy and limited mobility, so it was a real effort.

OK, enough woe-is-me.

Who's got a decent but very special lasagne recipe? I can't make it this time, but I can next time.

omg - that sounds disgusting. But I hate, hate, hate liquorice or anything aniseedy

I think it's s real love hate flavour. I would earn your guests because I would really not be expecting to taste that in a lasagne and I think the surprise would make me heave. I could probably try and force it down if warned though and obviously wouldn't say anything to the host!

Poor you - I would tweet TK and waitrose

Delia Smith lasagne is excellent

Could you add some oyster sauce ( makes it sweeter), and some Lea and Perrins ? - clutching at straws.
I feel your pain , I once did Jamie Olivers rabbit ragu - 2 days of cooking totally wasted .

I'd chuck in a load of a warm flavoured curry paste and pretend that was what you intended to make all along! Maybe just in half of it, though - then if it's still crap you've not wasted the curry paste!

The problem I have is with that much star anise and oregano in the same dish. Without the oregano, it might be easier to rescue.

Jux I learn things from Heston. Like the aniseedy thing, and the how-to-cook-steak thing, but I draw the line and cooking scrambled eggs slowly.

To be fair he does go on a bit ...

Jamie Oliver - cannot abide him. And don't get me started on Ramsey. Or ALL THE FUCKING CHEFS WHO DO A LINE ON TELLING SILLY LITTLE MUMMIES HOW TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES. THEY CAN ALL FUCK OFF.

Sorry. Bugbear.

And sorry for your wasted effort.

Gobbolino, if it's still disgusting in the morning, I won't be serving it.

Bookbook, does sweetness counteract the aniseed then? I could chuck in a load more sugar.

Surely not? Aniseed balls are sweet and aniseedy.

And a poor flavour for mince.

Just warning you Jux ! I use oyster sauce in a lot of beef stews and things to round out and give some 'oomph' to the beef flavour, ( about a tablespoon) but it has some sweetness itself, which is why I usually use it with the Lea and Perrins ( about a teaspoon) as well !

I believe that chorizo makes everything better. Especially ragu/bolognese. Could you get some (whole not sliced), chop it into little cubes, fry and then stir into the aniseedy thing? Might take the taste away a bit!

Tomato, chilli, broccoli and sausage work really well together with pasta even with aniseed added. Save it for another day in tiny portions.

I tried putting more sugar in (his recipe says 100g of demerara - I didn't use all that, the idea made me feel ill!) but it hasn't helped. In fact it's even worse, as it is aniseedy and sweet now

I am scrapping it - will be at the butcher as soon as he opens and will get a new ragu started before I go to work.

Now, before I chuck it, what other strange things could I add to the aniseed ragu, which might help (but probably won't ) do you think?

You could try heating it up gently with slices of raw potato. The raw potato absorbs excess salt so it might work with the anise. However, I think the taste will be so pervasive that it will still be there. You could add some marmite to try and counteract the sugar.

But, TBH, I would just bin it but definitely tweet TK.