Bay Leaves (tomato, hungarian, homemade, cream)

[dens]

I have just recently discovered them and put them in a chicken/split pea soup I made this week...please share with me how you use them and what you love about them.

[DawnMTL]

I put them in my homemade spaghetti sauce.

NOTE: Just don't forget to take them out after your dish is finished cooking. They are not edible; they're not digestible; they can get stuck in your throat; and they can make a mess of your digestive system, like eating glass.

[ylisa7]

I use them in meat sauce and soups.

I also put them in my pantry with the flour to repel pantry bugs.

[dens]

NOTE: Just don't forget to take them out after your dish is finished cooking. They are not edible; they're not digestible; they can get stuck in your throat; and they can make a mess of your digestive system, like eating glass.[/quote]

Wow...I did not know that....that is why I love this forum. Thank you

[Chatteress]

I wonder what type of leaves are frequently used in Thai Curries?

[George Chong]

Originally Posted by Chatteress

I wonder what type of leaves are frequently used in Thai Curries?

Kaffir lime leaves Kaffir lime - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And I use bay leaves in soups and sauces too.

[kaimuki]

I use bay leaves in tomato sauce for pasta, stews and Filipino style pork adobo.

[MoItaly]

Bay Leaves are widely used in Italy, so I keep using them even if I moved around the wrold a little.

I read and also hear about many in the USA using them for pasta sauces...it's very uncommon in Italy where bay leaves are a classic herb to have in the kitchen.

Typically, the main use for bay leaves in Mediterranean cuisine is for steaw, roasts and soups.

The leaves as suggested by the other poster are not to be eaten, they should be removed when the meal is ready.

In my kitchen the main use of bay leaves is for Beef stew and Goulasch (Hungarian style stew, which is a classic in North-East Italy). I use them also on meat that I roast in the oven.

On soups I use them on hearthy soups, meaning soups containing meat or legums (beans, peas, barley etc..). If it's a light soup, like veggie soup, or Cream of Asparagous I won't use them because they have a pretty sharp, bittery taste that could overwhelm more delicate food.

My grandma, in Italy, also uses them to make a very strong tea that she says helps with her rheumathisms. I never did it, but my grandma is pretty good at this stuff with herbs, so it probably works (I am serious, not joking).

[lubby]

I put bay leaves in soups, poultry dishes. I always bought dry leaves and recently found fresh ones. It's good in stews too.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by dens

I have just recently discovered them and put them in a chicken/split pea soup I made this week...please share with me how you use them and what you love about them.

I will be very honest, I am not a huge fan of bay leaves, but I do keep them in the pantry and use them in some seafood dishes like mussels or clams. I just add them to the steamer. I sometimes put them in soups as well. I don't know why thery are not one of my favorites. I love almost all spices and herbs...The best thing: they keep their fregrance for years, so you don't have to keep replacing them like some spices.

Nita