we've recently started adding it to our stock, for that vietnamese pho taste. it's subtle but lovely.

I use it for certain pickling brines (red onion pickles, etc.), and I add it to chicken curry, recipe here:
http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/chicken-curry-recipe_p_1.html

This is a fantastic curry recipe, btw. I saw him make it on The F Word and had to look it up. I make a big batch of the curry paste and freeze it in portions.

I agree w/ 'the polish chick'. If you're looking to make pho, star anise is a must have. I've tried with and without, but it was not pho without star anise.
You also see it often in Chinese cooking. If my mom makes braised pork belly, it's a must have.

The "Steamy Kitchen Cookbook" has great star anise recipes.

I picked up the habit of toasting mine before throwing it in anything.

Thanks everyone! I can't wait to start using it and had no idea that was the "secret ingredient" in pho. ~Sara

Boiled eggs with shells cracked, strong brewed tea, soy sauce, star anise, a few days in the fridge = tea eggs.

I use it in slow-braised meat dishes (pork or beef) but mostly for poached chicken, an easy-to-prepare dish:
Place chicken pieces or whole chicken in heavily salted water with a peeled knob of ginger and a few star anise, bring to bowl, let simmer for 2 minutes (if using a whole chicken, remove to drain the water inside the cavity and repeat), then turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 30 minutes (45-60 minutes for whole chicken). Remove chicken and let sit in a sieve/colander to dry for 10-15 minutes before serving/carving.

Another use for star anise is to flavour drinking water. I once went to a restaurant where the carafe of water on the table had a couple of stars in it, along with a slice of lemon.

It's great in hot apple cider (along with a cinnamon stick)

I was going to say Pho as well! :)

Make tea eggs! (as phoxx suggested)

Here's a recipe I made last week and they turned out awesome!

http://newasiancuisine.com/4408-chinese-tea-eggs.html

i second the tea eggs. Delicious. You can reuse the braising liquid for meat and poultry too.

With star anise, just remember a little goes a long way.. a few (i.e. 2-4) is usually all you need for braising liquids (for about 6-8 servings!)

Jam serves thai iced tea that is delicious. It calls for cloves and star anise.

http://thaicookingwithjam.blogspot.com/2009/09/orange-drink-thai-iced-tea.html

chinese cooking uses a lot of star anise. here's one of my family recipes: http://tinaxgao.tumblr.com/post/398045478/greenbeans-noodles

add a corner of an anise star to your soy sauce chicken or stew, the flavor is so much better

I'm wondering what star-anise-infused vodka might taste like...

I have a recipe for Spiced Cranberry Sauce where you steep (in a small cheesecloth bag) star anise (among other things) in orange juice. It's delicious.

The Kitchn has an excellent recipe for roasted sweet potatoes with ginger, lime and star anise. It is scrumptious, especially during the dark days of winter.

I made a yummy citrus salad with lots of different types of grapefruit and oranges with star anise sugar syrup for Christmas Brunch. YUMMY

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Citrus-Salad-with-Star-Anise-Syrup-350912

Use it as a flavoring in biscotti.

A tad off subject, but Springerle cookies with Anise are an all time favorite. It calls for Anise oil, not anise stars, however.

I use it in rum toddies or hot cider toddies in the fall and winter.

I made this Northern Chinese stew this weekend it was so delicious and the smell was divine

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/21/1087669895778.html

Heston Blumental says in his books that star anise brings out the meaty character in any beef dish. He recommends adding it to all sorts of slow-cooked dishes like chilli and ragu bolognese