This easy light strawberry mousse is a great way to use strawberries even if they are out of season or if you have any second grade or squashed fruit at the bottom of your punnet. The fennel gives it great depth of unusual flavour and a good kick of aniseed flavour.

Strawberry and Fennel Mousse

Serves 4

400g Strawberries

200g Cream

150g Egg Yolks

100g Caster Sugar

25ml Pernod

400g Fennel

3 Gelatine

Method:

Start the recipe by removing the green tops from the fennel and reserve to one side for later. Chop the fennel roughly and placing into the juicer, collect the juice and weigh out 150g.

Place the gelatine into cold water to soften, once soft warm the fennel juice in a small saucepan and add the gelatine, remove from the heat and place aside to cool slightly.

Blend 200g of the strawberries in a liquidiser to make a puree and reserve to the side.

Place the caster sugar into a small saucepan and place onto a medium heat, while the sugar is cooking whisk the egg yolks until pale, cook the sugar until it reaches 118oc before pouring onto the egg yolks gradually whilst whisking fast, this will cook the egg yolks and create a light texture. Continue to whisk the egg yolks until cool, before adding the strawberry puree, and cool fennel juice. Finish the mousse by whipping the rest of the cream to soft peaks and folding into the mixture, along with the pernod place into serving dishes or glasses and refrigerate for 4-6 hours to set.

Once set chop the remaining strawberries and use to garnish the mousse along with the fennel tops before serving.