Recipes

[sidsmom]

What does a Bay Leaf do?

[Lilysmom]

@sidsmom, I smiled when I saw your post.  I don’t think it has much effect so I use crushed basil leaves instead.  At least there is a nice aroma from those.  I also love fresh basil.  LM

[sidsmom]

I’m watch Saturday afternoon Create cooking lineup

and it seems everyone uses bay leaves. 

And it’s always ‘don’t forget to take them out!!!’

If I can’t eat it, it ain’t goin’ in the pot! Ha 

[proudlyfromNJ]

I have two in my pot roast that is in the oven now.

[QVCkitty1]

The last thing I used bay leaves in was some cauliflower soup. The soup was really good so I'm going to keep using the bay leaves.

[alliswell]

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@sidsmom wrote:

What does a Bay Leaf do?

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  According to "Bon Appetite," magazine:  

" If you smell a dried bay leaf, you might not get as much aroma as you would with a pinch of dried basil or thyme. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t flavor there. When the herb is infused into water, broth, or another cooking liquid, an almost minty flavor (somewhere between spearmint and menthol) develops, with subtle hints of black pepper and Christmas tree pine. They add a subtle bitterness that keeps heavy soups and stews from being so, well,heavy. 

Are you going to be able to pick that flavor out of all the other complex flavors present in a bite of beef stew? Probably not. But would you miss it if it wasn't there? Yes.

While the flavor of things like chiles, dried spices, and browned meat shout, the flavor of the bay leaf whispers. Listen for a change, why don't you!"

[sidsmom]

@alliswell

Bay leaf ‘whispers’.

I like that!

I guess my palette isn’t that sophisticated! 

Onion & Garlic about as ‘fancy’ as I get.

🙃

[blackhole99]

I use bay leaves I get from Penzys and keep in the freezer, quite often. I wouldn't think of making many soups, stews and sauces without it.

[alliswell]

@sidsmom  I've seen "edible wreaths" made of Bay Leaves to hang in the kitchen.  Believe it or not, bay leaves really add a subtle delicious flavor to soups and stews.  I would miss not having it.  I keep my bay leaf in the freezer too.

[DiAnne]

Whenever I make chicken stock I always throw in a couple of bay leaves.