Using bay leaves in cooking

Since that last recipe I posted called for using a bay leaf, and I had never done that before, I searched the web and found the following information:

How to Use Bay Leaves - http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Bay-Leaves

How to Use Bay Leaf in Cooking -
Read more: How to Use Bay Leaf in Cooking | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2318328_use-bay-leaf-cooking.html#ixzz2IH2RMZus

Bay Leaf - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf

Cooking with Bay Leaves - http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/30/2823923/cooking-with-bay-leaves.html

And here are a couple of recipes using bay leaves:

Potatoes Roasted with Olive Oil and Bay Leaves
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Potatoes-Roasted-with-Olive-Oil-and-Bay-Leaves-108250#ixzz2IH4NcCYf

Ingredients

8 medium-size red-skinned potatoes

1/2 cup olive oil

40 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence*

1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using small sharp knife and working on 1 potato, make 5 crosswise vertical cuts, spaced evenly apart, from 1 side to other side (do not cut through). Place potato in 13x9x2-inch broilerproof baking dish. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Add some of oil to dish and toss potatoes to coat. Slide 1 bay leaf into each cut in each potato. Mix salt, herbs, and pepper in small bowl and sprinkle over potatoes. Roast potatoes until tender, about 55 minutes. Remove dish from oven. Preheat broiler. Drizzle remaining oil over potatoes. Broil until potatoes begin to brown, about 4 minutes.

*A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets. A combination of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds can be substituted.

 

Bay Leaf Tea - http://latinfood.about.com/od/beverages/r/bay-leaf-tea.htm

A hot cup of bay leaf tea is comforting, it is almost like aromatherapy. The fragrant leaves release there essence and gives you a spiced tea that will have you going back for a second cup. Older folks in the Caribbean believe that bay leaf tea can lower your blood pressure, aid with digestive problems and even get rid of headaches. Folk medicine is still alive in the Caribbean. Whether or not these claims are true, one thing is certain, you'll love this tea.

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Steeping: 4 minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 3 large fresh West Indian bay leaves
• 2 cups water
• Sugar and milk (optional)

Preparation:

1. Add the bay leaves and water to a pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil for 3 minutes then remove the pot from the heat and let the tea steep for 4 minutes.
2. Strain and drink or sweeten to suit your taste. If using milk, only use a small splash, as too much milk will dilute the flavor of the tea.

Bubble and squeak and candied shallots - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bubble_and_squeak_and_38318

Ingredients

For the candied shallots

• 30 shallots, peeled
• 150g/5oz butter
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz red wine
• 125ml/4fl oz port
• crème de cassis
• 600ml/1 pint beef stock
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1 tsp dried thyme

For the bubble and squeak

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks, washed, sliced
• 1.25kg /2lb 12oz potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed and left to cool
• 750g/1lb 10oz spring cabbage, finely shredded, blanched (or leftover cooked cabbage or Brussels sprouts)
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

1. For the candied shallots, simmer the shallots gently for 4-5 minutes in a pan of boiling water to soften. Drain.
2. Heat the butter in a non-reactive frying pan, add the shallots and fry gently until golden-brown, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the sugar and stir until it melts and begins to caramelise and coat the shallots.
4. Mix the wine, port, cassis and stock together in a bowl. Add a quarter of the wine mixture to the pan with the shallots and bring to a boil, then add the bay leaf and lemon zest. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.
5. Add some more of the wine mixture to the pan and simmer again until the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Add the remaining liquid bit by bit, reducing each time, until the shallots are coated in the glaze. Set aside until needed.
6. For the bubble and squeak, heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the leeks for 3-4 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
7. Mix the leeks, mashed potato and cabbage together in a bowl. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Heat the remaining olive oil in the frying pan. Place four 7.5cm/3in chefs' rings into the pan and spoon the bubble and squeak into the rings, packing down gently. Cook until golden-brown on the bottom, turn the rings over carefully and cook on the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm until ready to serve, carefully removing the chefs’ rings before serving.

Recipes using McCormick Whole Bay Leaves - http://www.spiceplace.com/rice-pilaf-recipe.php 3 tbsp butter 1 onion, finely chopped 1 1/2 cups rice 2 1/4 to 3 cups chicken stock or water 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs thyme 4 large sprigs parsley (including stalks) 4 inch piece celery stalked with leaves 2 (4 inch) pieces leek tops (green part) salt and freshly ground black pepper Make a Bouquet Garni by placing one leek tops flat on a plate, topping with celery stalks, then parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Top with other leek top, and tie tightly with cotton string. The amount of liquid necessary to cook the rice depends on the quality of the rice. Use water rather than stock in cooking the pilaf if it accompanies a dish with a sauce. Chicken Stock or water should be about 2 times the amount of rice. So if using 2 1 1/2 cups of rice, use 3 cups stock or water. In a heavy bottom casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and saute the onion until soft but not browned. Add the rice and cook about 2 minutes, stirring, until the butter is absorbed and the grains look transparent. Add 2 1/4 cups of stock or water with the Bouquet Garni, salt and white pepper; put a round of buttered parchment paper on the rice, cover and bring to a boil. Simmer on top of the stove or cook in a moderate oven (350 ° F.) for exactly 18 minutes. If the liquid has evaporated but the rice is not cooked, add more liquid arid cook a few more minutes until tender. Let the pilaf stand, covered, 10 minutes so the rice grains cool and contract slightly. Remove the bouquet garni. Dot the top of the Rice Pilaf with the remaining butter, stir with a fork to fluff up the rice, and taste for seasoning. Rice Pilaf can be prepared ahead and kept 3-4 days in the refrigerator or it can be frozen. To Reheat Rice Pilaf Place Rice Pilaf in a moderate oven (350° F) for about 15 minutes or heat it gently on top of stove until very hot. It is best to use a pan with a large surface area for reheating, so the Rice Pilaf will heat up quickly and evenly.