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)Bacalhau à Brás Beef Bourguignon Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew)Birria Tacos with Consomé Bobotie Ukrainian Borscht Bouillabaisse Chana Masala New England Clam Chowder Coq au Vin Coxinha (Brazilian chicken croquettes)Chicken Enchiladas Rojas French Onion Soup Hungarian Goulash Soup Irish Stew Jambalaya Chicken Kabsa Massaman Curry Pastitsio Pelmeni (Russian Meat Dumplings)Peri-Peri Chicken Rogan Josh Ropa Vieja Soto Ayam Slow-Simmered Ají de Gallina with Toasted Pecans Albóndigas in Saffron-Almond Sauce with Picada Reina Pepiada Arepas 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 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 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 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 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 Dhaba-Style Double Tadka Dal with Coal Smoke Dan Dan Noodles with Aromatic Red Oil and Fresh Sesame Paste Feijoada Completa with Garlic Kale and Farofa Chipotle Feijoada Chili Bergen Fish Soup (Bergensk Fiskesuppe) with Homemade Stock Cognac Deep-Caramel Onion Soup Gratinée Red Wine Galbi-jjim Bourguignon Rich Perilla Gamjatang with Seasoned Napa Greens Beef Shin Goulash with Csipetke Oven-Braised Lamb Neck Irish Stew with Pearl Barley and Herb Butter Cajun Brown Jambalaya with Shrimp-Shell Stock Slow-Simmered European-Style Beef Curry Smoky Party Jollof with Crispy Spiced Chicken Lamb Kabsa with Toasted Spices and Daqqus Cairo Shop-Style Koshari with Shatta Red Wine Ragù Lasagna Soup with Lemon Basil Ricotta Lasagne Verdi with Homemade Spinach Pasta Gruyère and Aged Cheddar Mac with Crispy Panko Slow-Braised Beef Shin Massaman with Whole Spices Red Wine Braised Steak and Cheddar Pie French Onion Miso Soup Fish and prawn moqueca with pirão Belgian Ale Moules with Cream and Triple-Cooked Tallow Frites Lamb Moussaka with Pecorino Béchamel Porcini-Stock Risotto with Butter-Seared Mushrooms Ossobuco with Saffron Risotto alla Milanese Seared Paneer Palak with Garlic Tadka Pastitsio with Slow-Simmered Beef and Pork Ragù and Bay-Infused Béchamel Siberian Pelmeni in Golden Beef Broth Flame-Grilled Braai Peri-Peri Chicken Red Wine Beef Shin Potjie with Gremolata Pozole Rojo Especial (Bone-In Broth and Chile de Árbol Salsa)Pozole Quesatacos with Red Consommé Dip Slow-Braised Lamb Shank Rogan Josh Rogan Josh Birria-Style Tacos Oven-Braised Ropa Vieja with Maduros Ropa Vieja Loaded Tostones Red Wine Lamb Shepherd's Pie with a Duchess Potato Crown Soto Ayam Lamongan with Koya Restaurant-Style Thieboudienne with Fish Stock and Nététou

Updated 2026-10-10