Use Bay Leaves

If you have a bay (laurel) tree growing in your garden, you have a fabulous bounty to use whenever you wish. And even if you have just purchased your bay leaves from the local store, you have entered a realm of many possibilities for improving your food. Here are some suggestions for using bay leaves.

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:Bay leaves 8936.jpg|200px|right]] Dry the bay leaves. If you have picked your own, let them dry, to strengthen their flavor. Place them in a warm and dark cupboard until dry. Dried bay leaves will keep for ages in the pantry.
 * 2) [[Image:Béchamel sauce 3585.jpg|200px|right]] Add to slow-cooking meals. Bay leaves release their flavor during slow cooking, so the longer the better. Consider adding bay leaves to casseroles, stews, soups, marinades, pasta sauces. Bay leaves also impart a great flavor to white, cream/cheese sauces (for example, béchamel sauce).
 * 3)  [[Image:Color Bento ^_^ (recipe included) 2532.jpg|200px|right]]Steam with bay leaves. The flavor of bay comes out nicely with steaming. Try with vegetables, fish, seafood, or chicken in a steamer.
 * 4)  [[Image:Pilaf 5480.jpg|200px|right]]Always remove after cooking and prior to serving. Although bay leaves impart a lovely flavor to the food with which they are cooked, they are not appetizing in themselves. Anyone who has bitten into the forgotten bay leaf  will quickly attest to this! Fish it out before serving the dish on plates. This is also why it's important to put the whole bay leaf into the dish, so it can be removed easily later. Don't break it up into small pieces.
 * 5) [[Image:Bay leaves and dried oranges 8160.jpg|200px|right]] Use for decorative effect. Bay leaves can be used in potpourri, wreaths and other decorations, such as the dried orange and bay leaf hanger pictured here. They provide a "Provençal" touch.

Tips

 * Generally, you should use a single leaf. The flavor imparted by bay leaves is strong, so you only need to use one leaf for a dish, unless the bay leaves are especially small.
 * Bay leaves are staple in some dishes, such as white sauces and some pasta sauces.
 * Bay leaves can be used in milk puddings; this is a very captivating flavor.
 * Bay leaves discourage mice. Leave a few near mice holes if you have a mouse problem. Bruise a little to release the odor.
 * Bay leaves in kitchen cabinets keep away ants and small bugs.
 * Bay leaves make pleasant additions to floral and wreath arrangements.
 * Put a couple of bay leaves into your stored flour or grains to stop weevils (nasty bugs that produce cobwebs in your stored grains and cereals)

Warnings

 * Bay leaves are not poisonous but they are as tough as old boots to a human palate, so avoid consuming them as part of the meal!

Things You'll Need

 * Bay leaves
 * Recipes for using bay leaves

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Preserve Herbs
 * How to Select and Use Nutmeg
 * How to Use Kaffir Lime Leaves

Sources and Citations

 * Wikipedia on the bay leaf.