How do I cook with bay leaves?
I am an amateur hobbyist cook. So a lot of the time I will toss in a dash of something, taste the dish, and add a bit more. Experimenting sometimes with disastrous results... but I learn :)
One spice that I am having a hard time figuring out is the bay leaf. I use it when called for, and have sometimes experimented with it, but I can't seem to place the "effect" it has on the dish.
So my questions:
- What is the general flavor of a bay leaf, is there a dish that exemplifies this?
- How long do I need to cook with a bay leaf before it has an effect?
I think part of my quandary is that I can't simply add some to a sauce, stir it in, and taste it to see the difference. Am I wrong to believe that it takes awhile to permeate the dish?
Best Answer
I don't know how you would describe the flavor of bay--I would call it a subtle savoriness, with a complex aroma.
Bay is very tough--almost sharp. It is generally not eaten directly. Instead, the whole leaf (or several whole leaves) are put into a dish or sauce to cook with it, then removed prior to service.
The shortest recipe I have for using bay is in a rice pilaf while it cooks, which is 15-30 minutes depending. I am not aware of an upper time limit.
Here is a Miami Herald article offering some other perspectives on using bay leaves:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/30/2823923/cooking-with-bay-leaves.html
As they Herald points out, many folks prefer Turkish bay rather than California bay, because it has a more complex, subtle flavor.
. . .
I believe custard in Britain had bay as a traditional ingredient--you might make a custard with a single bay leaf to get some sense of what it tastes like without lots of competing strong flavors.
. . .
Update: Serious Eats Food Lab has just published an article, What is the point of bay leaves? with lots of good information that may be of interest.
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Quick Answer about "How do I cook with bay leaves?"
In addition to simmering in soups and stews, bay leaves are great for stuffing into the cavity of a chicken before roasting it, and can also be added to the liquid when cooking rice. When ground into a powder, bay leaf is used similarly to a spice.What do bay leaves actually do in cooking?
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.Why do you add bay leaves to food?
Essentially, it adds another layer of flavor to a soup or stew, and the tea-like (oh-so-slightly menthol) aromas help lighten up a hearty dish, so it's less likely to bog you down after a big meal. If you're making homemade broth or stock, the bay leaf shines more.Do you remove bay leaves after cooking?
Whether you call them bay leaves, bay laurel, or sweet laurel, this Mediterranean herb is a common ingredient in soups, stews, or braised meats. It's recommended that you remove the whole leaves or leaf pieces before eating. However, it's not because they're poisonous, but rather because they can be a choking hazard.How long do bay leaves need to cook?
Lay your fresh bay leaves out in a single layer on a baking sheet and stick them in an oven set to its lowest heat setting for 3-4 hours, or until they take on a pale brownish-green color and become brittle to the touch.Do Bay Leaves Do Anything???? Yes!!! All About Bay Leaves - Glen And Friends Cooking
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Answer 2
I find bay goes very well with beef. I always put a few in beef stew, even in unusual situations like camping. I also crumble them into beef chili. My husband adds them (whole) to tomato-and-meat sauce for spaghetti.
If whatever you're cooking won't have at least half an hour of simmering, I wouldn't bother with the bay. It takes time to infuse a flavour.
Answer 3
As Josh Caswell suggested in his comment, you could make a bay infusion.
I find that 'pasta' (spaghetti, etc.) cooked with bay will give you a good flavour profile.
If you can get your hands on the tree, you could cut a branch and use that as a skewer to BBQ fish. They do so on Madeira to stunning effect.
Answer 4
Don't stop using bay, it's one of the most amazing ingredients ever! It gives depth and soul to anything you cook. It tastes like it smells when it's fresh. If you pick it fresh (you might as well pick a good lot of it to make it worth the effort), soak it in water and bicarb of soda, leave it to dry for 2 or 3 days and store in a jar. Use 1-2 leaves in your average pot of soup/ stew/ whatever. If you just want to taste the difference with and without bay, use it when cooking peas, fresh or frozen (not microwaved). They're a very good match and it should give you a pretty clear idea of the taste change.
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