Bay leaves have always seemed to us like the oddball seasoning in our spice cupboard. Unlike pretty much every other spice in there, we don't actually eat bay leaves, after all. So what are those dried leaves actually doing? Quite a lot, it turns out!
Bay leaves come from the bay laurel tree, which is native to the Mediterranian regions. California bay leaves actually come from a different kind of tree and have a stronger, more astringent flavor. The leaves of either plant are generally 1-3 inches long, almond-shaped, and glossy green. Bay leaves are almost always dried and are actually at their best flavor a few weeks after drying. Fresh leaves are sometimes available, but their flavor is much more mild than dried.
The leaf itself doesn't taste like much other than, well, a leaf. But steep a few leaves in a warm broth or sauce, and your dish becomes infused with flavor and very fragrant. It's not usually a very forward seasoning, but its woodsy flavor and slight bitterness helps to balance the flavors in a dish. You'd miss it if it weren't there.
If you're not sure you know what bay really tastes or smells like, a good experiment to try sometime is to put a few bay leaves in a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for a few minutes and then take a big whiff. On its own like this, it's hard to believe anyone ever thought to put bay leaves in their cooking!
Bay is typically used to season long-cooking dishes like soups and braises, but it can also enhance the flavor of quicker-cooking dishes like risotto, pasta sauce, or even a simple pot of rice. The key is to have at least a little liquid for the bay to infuse and heat to get the process going.
The herb is used most widely in Mediterranean cooking, but since it was one of the earliest and most widely traded spices, bay has become an established seasoning in many cuisines around the world - most noticeably Indian, the Middle Eastern, and many European cuisines. It's also one of the main ingredients in a classic French bouquet garni.
Do you use a lot of bay in your cooking?
Related: Good Reminder: Buy Spices from Bulk Bins
(Image: Flickr member LoreleiRanveig licensed under Creative Commons)
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The Wednesday Chef had an intriguing recipe for a rice pudding flavored with bay: http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2007/01/marie_louises_r.html
I was at a restaurant and they served Laurel Ice Cream. I was ordering for my children and so went with vanilla; but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what Laurel flavor was. I asked the waiter and all he could say it is a herb. Finally he came back and said it was also called Bay Laurel. Ah.....I was left wondering would Laurel Ice Cream have been good? Although I use it frequently in many soups and stews I couldn't figure out what the taste alone would be. I think I will try your steeping experiment.
My dad always adds a bay leaf to his borsht. My mom adds it to all soups and water for boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes.
Last time I made a semi home-made matzo ball soup, I added a bay leaf to deepen the flavor.
Bay leaves are a must for red beans and rice, gumbo, jambalaya, and pretty much every other traditional New Orleanian/Cajun/Creole slow-cooked food. I throw one or two in every soup, stew, pot of lentils, etc. that I make. They're also sometimes ground up and included in Herbes de Provence, which I just love (I mix up my own out of the bulk spices at Whole Foods).
My sister recently brought me a bag of Myrtle leaves from California, which are similar to bay leaves, but you use about half as much. Wonderful fragrance! I used those up so quickly; I'm sad they're gone!
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Hmm, ice cream, that might be interesting! We recently 'discovered' that what appeared to be a generic green shrub in the yard was actually a bay laurel. Never will I have to settle for the crumbly dregs in the bulk bins!
We've actually been taking advantage of their bug-repellant properties- by drying and then grinding the leaves and sprinkling around the exterior of our house to deal with some odorous house ants. So far, so good!
I use bay leaf when I make macaroni and cheese. I love it!
OH, bay leaves, how I love thee!
I always have a stash of bay leaves around the kitchen. Nary a pot of rice is made without a few of these little guys swimming away. Pasta, too. If for no other reason than to give the kitchen that "oh, by the way, I'm cooking" scent.
I'm with e.scott. I live for bay leaves! My soup, rice, bean dishes, and stews wouldn't be the same without them.