Bay leaves

defne yaprağı; laurier; bay leaf

Flavor and role: Dried leaves of the bay laurel, adding a subtle herbal, tea-like aroma to broths. They are tough and not eaten, so remove them once cooked.
Typical dishes and uses: Stews, ragù Bolognese, Filipino adobo, feijoada, béchamel, biryani. In this book: ratatouille, chicken adobo, jollof rice, Bolognese and feijoada.
Substitutes: 1 bay leaf = ¼ tsp dried thyme. If you have none, leaving it out makes little difference.
Storage: Dried leaves: 1-2 years airtight. Frozen, the aroma lasts longer.
Main countries: Türkiye · Greece · France
Used in this book: Ratatouille Feijoada (Black Bean and Pork Stew)Jollof Rice Chicken Adobo Chicken Biryani Pozole Rojo Potjiekos Albóndigas en Salsa (Spanish Meatballs in Sauce)Arroz con Gandules Arroz de Marisco (Portuguese Seafood Rice)Asado Negro Asopao de Pollo Avgolemono (Greek Egg-Lemon Chicken Soup)Ayam Goreng (Indonesian Fried Chicken)Ayam Penyet Bacalhau à Brás Beef Bourguignon Bifanas Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew)Birria Tacos with Consomé Bitterballen Bobotie Ukrainian Borscht Bouillabaisse Burmese Chicken Curry (Kyet Thar Hin)Caldo de Res Carbonnade Flamande (Flemish Beef and Beer Stew)Cassoulet Ceebu Yapp (Senegalese Lamb and Onion Rice)Chana Masala Chicken Cacciatore Chole Bhature New England Clam Chowder Coq au Vin Coxinha (Brazilian chicken croquettes)Egg Curry (Anda Curry)Chicken Enchiladas Rojas Erwtensoep (Dutch Split Pea Soup)Feijão Tropeiro Francesinha French Onion Soup Cuban Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)Hungarian Goulash Soup Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo Holubtsi (Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls)Irish Stew Jambalaya Chicken Kabsa Lapskaus (Norwegian Brown Stew)Lechon Kawali Lobio Locro Beef Mafé Malai Kofta (Paneer and Potato Dumplings in Creamy Tomato Gravy)Mandi Massaman Curry Molokhia Pabellón Criollo Pastitsio Pelmeni (Russian Meat Dumplings)Peri-Peri Chicken Picadillo Pollo al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Chicken)Rajma Chawal (Punjabi Kidney Bean Curry with Rice)Rawon Rinderrouladen (German Beef Rolls)Rogan Josh Ropa Vieja Saleeg Sauerbraten Sayur Lodeh (Javanese Vegetables in Coconut Milk)Shchi (Russian Cabbage Soup)Short Rib Ragù with Pappardelle Sisig Solyanka (Russian Mixed Meat Soup)Sosaties (Cape Malay Lamb Skewers)Soto Ayam Stoemp Tafelspitz Red Chile Pork Tamales Tinga de Pollo (Chipotle Shredded Chicken)Vol-au-vent Chicken Yassa Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)Slow-Simmered Ají de Gallina with Toasted Pecans Albóndigas in Saffron-Almond Sauce with Picada Lahori Bhuna Lamb Aloo Keema Reina Pepiada Arepas Shellfish-Stock Arroz de Marisco with Squid Stuffed Oven-Braised Asado Negro Homemade-Broth Asopao with Recaíto Red Wine-Braised Pepper Steak Pie Whipped-Egg Avgolemono with Clear Homemade Stock Ayam Goreng Lengkuas (Galangal-Crumb Fried Chicken)Ayam Penyet Kremes Milk-Poached Bacalhau à Brás with Garlic Confit and Olive Crumb Overnight-Marinated Bourguignon with Glazed Onions and Croutons Bourguignon Ragù Pappardelle Bone Broth Red-Braised Beef Noodle Soup Vendas Novas-Style Bifanas with Red Pepper Paste Bifana Loaded Fries with Garlic-Mustard Mayo Old-Polish Three-Meat Bigos with Porcini Short Rib and Shank Quesabirria Tacos Birria Ramen with Soy-Marinated Egg Birria Grilled Cheese with Consomé Dip Homemade-Stock Bitterballen with Mustard Mayo Lamb Bobotie with Geelrys Bobotie Lasagne Roasted Beet and Smoked Rib Borscht Spiced Bossam with Sweet-Spicy Radish Marseille Bouillabaisse with Rockfish Broth and Potato Rouille Burmese Chicken Curry with Shallot Oil, Lemongrass and Crispy Shallots Caldo de Res with Roasted Marrow Bones and Guajillo Salsa Caldo de Res Quesatacos with Broth Dip and Lime Slaw Caldo Verde with Crispy Chouriço and Garlic Oil Oven-Braised Beef Cheek Carbonnade with Double-Fried Frites Slow-Baked Cassoulet with Pork-Rind Bean Stock and Garlic-Parsley Crust Osso Buco Cazuela de Vacuno Twice-Cooked Lamb Ceebu Yapp with Mustard-Caramelised Onions Pindi Chole Crispy-Skin Chicken Adobo with Garlic Chips Chicken Adobo Tacos with Pickled Red Onion and Lime Crema Honey Garlic Adobo Wings Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani Charcoal-Skewered Chicken Tikka Masala Picadillo Chiles Rellenos in Charred Tomato Caldillo Wine-Steamed Clam Chowder with Crispy Bacon Overnight-Marinated Burgundy Coq au Vin Potato-dough chicken thigh coxinha with a cream cheese heart Comté Mornay Croque Monsieur Ibérico Ham Croquetas with Infused Milk Dhaba-Style Double Tadka Dal with Coal Smoke Dan Dan Noodles with Aromatic Red Oil and Fresh Sesame Paste Cider-Braised Coddle with a Crisp Potato Top Chorizo and White Bean Coddle (Irish × Spanish)Overnight Rib-Stock Erwtensoep with Katenspek Rye Whipped Snert Dip with Crispy Sausage and Rye Crisps Caramelised Onion Carne Seca Escondidinho with Coalho Crust Peppercorn-Pouch Fårikål with Parsley Butter Potatoes Fatteh with Slow-Cooked Chickpeas, Fried Pita and Ghee-Toasted Nuts Feijão Tropeiro with Crispy Torresmo and Fried Egg Feijoada Completa with Garlic Kale and Farofa Chipotle Feijoada Chili Bergen Fish Soup (Bergensk Fiskesuppe) with Homemade Stock Pan-Juice Francesinha with Hand-Cut Fries Cognac Deep-Caramel Onion Soup Gratinée Overnight Black Beans with Bacon Sofrito (Frijoles Dormidos)Red Wine Galbi-jjim Bourguignon Rich Perilla Gamjatang with Seasoned Napa Greens Beef Githeri with Kachumbari Beef Shin Goulash with Csipetke Slow-Baked Gratin Dauphinois with Thyme-Infused Cream Seafood and Okra Gumbo with Shrimp-Shell Stock Shahi Haleem with Bone-In Shank and Ghee Baghar Brown-Roux Hayashi Rice, Yōshoku-Restaurant Style Oven-Braised Holubtsi with Smoked Bacon Oven-Braised Lamb Neck Irish Stew with Pearl Barley and Herb Butter Cajun Brown Jambalaya with Shrimp-Shell Stock Slow-Onion Jansson with Infused Cream and Butter Crumbs Slow-Simmered European-Style Beef Curry Smoky Party Jollof with Crispy Spiced Chicken Lamb Kabsa with Toasted Spices and Daqqus Oxtail Kare-Kare with Hand-Roasted Peanut Sauce and Homemade Ginisang Bagoong Pot-Baked Buckwheat Kasha with Porcini, Smetana and Jammy Eggs Ghee-Seared Beef Pilau with Crispy Onions Lazy Khinkali Noodle Soup with Peppery Meatballs Cairo Shop-Style Koshari with Shatta Toasted Cumin Lablabi with Harissa Oil and Olive-Oil Tuna Oven-Braised Lapskaus with Smoked Bacon, Juniper and Brown Butter Red Wine Ragù Lasagna Soup with Lemon Basil Ricotta Lasagne Verdi with Homemade Spinach Pasta Double-Fried Lechon Kawali with Homemade Liver Sarsa Lechon Kawali Silog Bowl Clay-Pot Lobio with Toasted Walnuts, Pomegranate and Fresh Herbs Gruyère and Aged Cheddar Mac with Crispy Panko Oven-Braised Lamb Mafé Shahi Malai Kofta in Saffron-Cashew Gravy Slow-Roasted Lamb Mandi with Lamb-Juice Basmati Slow-Braised Beef Shin Massaman with Whole Spices Qovurma Mastava with Bone-In Lamb and Garlic Suzma Red Wine Braised Steak and Cheddar Pie French Onion Miso Soup Three-Chile Mole Poblano with Plantain and Tomatillo Double Ta'leya Molokhia with Roast Chicken and Vermicelli Rice Fish and prawn moqueca with pirão Belgian Ale Moules with Cream and Triple-Cooked Tallow Frites Lamb Moussaka with Pecorino Béchamel Spiced Mujaddara with Extra-Crispy Onions and Cucumber-Mint Yogurt Porcini-Stock Risotto with Butter-Seared Mushrooms Owambe Party Fried Rice with Homemade Stock, Liver and Prawns Hermitage-Style Olivier with Poached Chicken, Shrimp and Homemade Mayonnaise Ossobuco with Saffron Risotto alla Milanese Pabellón Criollo a Caballo with Seared, Braised Flank Pabellón Burritos with Chipotle Mechada and Sweet Plantain Pabellón Sweet Plantain Boats with Melted Cheese Seared Paneer Palak with Garlic Tadka Pasta e Fagioli with Dried Borlotti and Parmesan Rind Pastitsio with Slow-Simmered Beef and Pork Ragù and Bay-Infused Béchamel Siberian Pelmeni in Golden Beef Broth Flame-Grilled Braai Peri-Peri Chicken Picadillo a Caballo with Maduros Baked Pirozhki with Braised Beef and Golden Onion Old-School Pisto with Lacy Fried Egg Garlic Confit Pollo al Ajillo with Fino Sherry Porotos Granados with Pilco and Merkén Oil Red Wine Beef Shin Potjie with Gremolata Pozole Rojo Especial (Bone-In Broth and Chile de Árbol Salsa)Pozole Quesatacos with Red Consommé Dip Cast-Iron Crust Raclette with Caraway Potatoes and Homemade Pickled Shallots Dhaba-Style Rajma Masala with Ghee Jeera Rice Creole Rajma Red Beans and Rice (Louisiana × Punjabi)Rawon Iga (Beef Short Rib Rawon) with Sambal Terasi Shanghai-Style Red-Braised Pork with Braised Eggs Smoked Mackerel Red-Red with Kelewele-Spiced Plantain Oven-Braised Rouladen with Juniper Red Wine Jus Slow-Braised Lamb Shank Rogan Josh Rogan Josh Birria-Style Tacos Oven-Braised Ropa Vieja with Maduros Ropa Vieja Loaded Tostones Five-Day Oven Sauerbraten with Red Wine Gingerbread Sauce Sauerbraten Galbi-Jjim (German × Korean)Sauerbraten Pulled Beef Sliders with Apple-Red Cabbage Slaw Sayur Lodeh with Fresh-Pressed Coconut Milk Oven-Braised Sauerkraut Sutochnye Shchi Shchi Pot Pie with a Puff Pastry Lid Red Wine Lamb Shepherd's Pie with a Duchess Potato Crown Oven-Braised Short Rib and Porcini Ragù with Gremolata Charleston Shrimp and Grits with Shrimp-Stock Sausage Gravy Pampanga-Style Sisig with Pig Ears and Charcoal-Grilled Belly Restaurant-Style Solyanka with Smoked-Rib Broth Guajillo Sopa de Fideo with Crispy Ancho Chile Charcoal Lamb Leg Sosaties with Apricot Glaze and Mint Yogurt Soto Ayam Lamongan with Koya Viennese Tafelspitz with Marrow Toast and Chive Sauce Tafelspitz Rösti Stack with Apple-Horseradish Cream and Fried Egg Ancho-Guajillo Braised Pork Tamales Restaurant-Style Thieboudienne with Fish Stock and Nététou Chorizo Tinga Poblana with Avocado Crema Slow-Braised Pork and Beef Tourtière Vol-au-vent with Homemade Puff Shells and Egg-Yolk Velouté Charcoal-Grilled Chicken Yassa with Lime-Caramelised Onions Yukgaejang Birria Tacos (Mexican × Korean)Homemade Zakwas Żurek with Smoked Ribs

Updated 2026-10-10