Bay leaves are a wonderful addition to any soup, sauce, stew or casserole. I have come across recipes that call for fresh bay leaves and beware; old dried bay leaves are a shadow of their freshly dried cousins. However, some say the fresh leaves are very mild and do not develop their full flavour until several weeks after picking and drying.



Bay leaves are one of the foundations of good cooking and are used for long slow cooking. They are used alone or as part of a bouquet garni, along with thyme and parsley, to flavour stocks and bouillons, sauces, soups, stews and pickling brines. Because the leaf is leathery and the stem tough they are usually removed before eating. If eaten whole, bay leaves are pungent and have a sharp, bitter taste. As with many spices and flavourings, the fragrance of the bay leaf is more noticeable than the taste in cooked foods. When dried, the fragrance is slightly floral, and similar to oregano and thyme.

Tear or crush bay leaves to release the volatile oils before adding to your cooking. A number of members of the Laurel family are poisonous to humans. Their visual similarity to bay leaves has led to the belief that bay leaves should be removed from food after cooking because they are poisonous. This is not true - bay leaves are safe to eat.

Widely used in Italy to flavour meat dishes, roast chicken, broths, stews, soups, fish etc, these Leaves are also perfect for spaghetti sauce. Break a leaf and add to your favourite marinade recipes. Indeed they are extremely versatile, from meat and fish to pasta and soup.

Here is one of my favourite recipes where the bay leaves combine with lemon to perfectly complement Sea Bass.

Spigola al forno con Limone e foglie di alloro (Baked sea bass with lemon and bay leaves)

Ingredients

100ml (4oz) Olive oil

2 large Spanish Onions, thinly sliced

450g (16oz) baby ripe plum tomatoes

3 torn Bay leaves,

coarse sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper

4 Sea bass, each around 450g (1lb), gutted, scaled and cleaned. (get your fishmonger to do this)

2 Lemons, cut into small wedges

1 small bunch of flat leaf Parsley, stalks trimmed and reserved

200ml (8oz) White wine

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 390°F/gas 6.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan, add in the onion and gently fry until golden and soft.

3. Spoon the cooked onions onto a large baking tray and scatter over the tomatoes and bay leaves. Season with the sea and pepper.

4. Using a sharp knife, cut 3 diagonal slashes across each side of the sea bass. Stuff each fish with lemon and parsley stalks inside the cavity of the fish. Lay the fish over the onions and tomatoes.

5. Drizzle the fish with the remaining olive oil and white wine and season well with sea salt.

6. Bake for approx 15-20 minutes, basting frequently.

7. Serve in the baking dish scattered with flat-leafed parsley leaves.

This dish goes well with boiled Potatoes and garlic mayonnaise.