Strawberry Star Anise Sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and crush lightly with a potato masher. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderate heat until the strawberries lose their bright red color, about 2 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much of the juice as possible; refrigerate until chilled. Transfer to a pitcher and serve with the Strawberry Shortcake.