401 bay leaf recipes

Classic British soused herrings slow-baked in a tangy bath of white wine vinegar, lemon juice, Marmite, and pickling spices. Served cold as a traditional pub-style appetizer.

An ancient Roman bread recipe from Cato the Elder: grape juice, feta, lard, cumin, and anise baked on bay leaves. A fascinating taste of history you can bake at home.

A little of this warm, spicy blend goes a long way. Coming from North India, where meat is eaten more frequently than in the South, it is the kind of masala that's popular as an accompaniment for almost any meat dish, as a condiment or in the sauce.

Pudina rice, a fragrant Indian one-pot mint pulao, with a fresh mint, coconut, ginger, and garlic paste, whole spices, and tomato simmered into the rice. A vibrant, herby vegetarian dish.

Chicken Alejandro simmers boneless breasts in salsa spiked with cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaf, then thickens into a glossy sauce finished with fresh orange segments. Mole-adjacent flavors over rice.

Mexican braised lamb shanks with ancho chiles, raisins, and vinegar in rich tomato sauce. Fall-apart tender meat ready in 3 hours for special dinners.

Mexican escabeche oysters pickled in vinegar with garlic, carrots, cauliflower, and herbs. Briefly cooked then marinated overnight for a tangy, briny cold appetizer with lime and jalapeno.

Bone broth caribou soup loaded with potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnip, and cabbage, seasoned with juniper berries and white wine. Even better the next day.

Soupe de saumon a la creme is a French salmon cream soup made with a homemade fish stock, diced salmon, and whipped cream finished with fresh dill. An elegant, light first course for a dinner party.

Creamy fish soup with fennel, hake and flounder, simmered in homemade fish stock with leek, carrot, and lovage. A two-fish European-style chowder finished with sour cream and chopped fennel fronds.

Salmon steaks poached with white wine, bay leaf, and fresh dill, served with a creamy cucumber dill sauce made from yogurt, mayo, and grated cucumber.

Summer cucumber crisps: refrigerator quick pickles with cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and mustard seed. Sweet-tart spiced pickle chips, no canning, ready overnight.

Maple-pepper roasted pork loin marinates overnight in lemon, maple syrup, shallots, garlic, thyme, and black pepper, then roasts with a sweet-peppery glaze. A Canadian-inspired roast for a crowd.

Shrimp "cooked" in a tangy citrus marinade. Fresh and refreshing cold shrimp cocktail.

Golden pan-fried tofu simmered in a rustic Provencal tomato sauce with green beans, garlic, basil, and oregano. French-inspired, vegan, and on the table in 30 minutes.

Chicken livers cooked in schmaltz with shallots, mushrooms, and warm spices, then pureed with cognac into a silky, spreadable mousse. A French-inspired appetizer with serious sophistication.