Recipes with bay leaves

Stuffed squid in saffron sauce: whole squid bodies filled with chopped tentacles, smoked ham, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs, then braised in a saffron-tomato-white wine sauce. Spanish-Italian dinner-party seafood.

A basic stock made from poultry (usually chicken) that you can freeze and use instead of store bought.

Kesselfleisch, a traditional German boiled pork with root vegetables, juniper berries, coriander, and clove-studded onions simmered low and slow until tender.

Pork shoulder braised in white wine and tarragon vinegar, finished with cornichons, Dijon mustard, cream, and Brussels sprouts. French bistro comfort served over buttered noodles.

Authentic Cajun dirty rice, ground beef, pork, and chicken giblets slow-simmered with the holy trinity of onion, pepper, and celery, then finished with cream and rice. Deeply savory, and even better the next day.

Add some sophistication to the dinner table with this scrumptious dish that will make your family think their in a fancy restaurant.

A protein-packed vegetarian casserole of bulgur, lentils, and tofu baked with corn, carrots, rosemary, and tarragon in sesame oil. Wholesome plant-based comfort food in one dish.

Clay pot chicken braised with ham, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes in wine. A rustic Spanish one-pot meal bursting with Mediterranean flavor.

Hearty cabbage soup with homemade tofu and whole-wheat dumplings, seasoned with soy sauce and bay leaf. A cozy, plant-based bowl ready in one hour.

Italian-style lentil soup with diced ham, fresh tomatoes, carrots, celery, and bay leaf simmered into a hearty, protein-rich pot. Top each bowl with grated Parmesan for restaurant flavor.

Homemade curry powder ground in a blender from coriander, cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, fennel, and a touch of saffron. A 14-spice blend with brighter, fresher flavor than store-bought tins.

Saure Kartoffel, a traditional Swabian sour potato dish with a tangy butter-onion sauce flavored with bay leaf, lemon zest, clove, and caraway. German comfort food.

Italian sausage, chickpeas, and pasta shells simmer together in a fennel-scented tomato sauce with chunky zucchini. A rustic one-pot dinner ready in an hour. Skip the sausage for a meatless version.

Red beans and rice with green and red bell peppers, tomatoes, celery and a kick of chili and hot sauce. A Louisiana-leaning bean pot built on dried kidney and pinto beans, finished with a splash of cider vinegar.

Braised red cabbage with apple, a German-style side simmered with onion, cloves, and bay, finished with sugar and vinegar for the classic sweet-sour balance. Vegan and low calorie.

Southern-style no-bean chili with 4 lbs of beef, banana peppers, and a 3-hour simmer in beef stock with barbecue sauce, hot sauce, and a deep spice blend. Bold and beanless.

Cubed beef chuck slow-baked in burgundy wine and French onion soup until fork-tender with a thick, rich gravy. Serve over buttered noodles for an effortless dinner.

Chicken pieces steamed with zucchini, carrots, potatoes, and fresh tarragon, served in soup bowls with a reduced white wine and shallot sauce. A light, elegant French-style one-pot dinner.

Creamy low-calorie crab and asparagus soup with dry sherry, lemon zest, and fresh vegetables in a light skim milk base. A guilt-free bowl of comfort ready in one hour.

Hearty chicken vegetable noodle soup made from a whole simmered chicken with tomatoes, corn, zucchini, mushrooms, and egg noodles. From pot to bowl in about an hour.

Monkfish chili with kidney beans, bell peppers, and a bold spice blend of cumin, cayenne, and Cajun seafood seasoning. A seafood twist on classic chili with real depth.

Freshly ground cardamom, cloves, and cumin give this yogurt-marinated chicken biryani its heady, aromatic punch. Served over saffron rice, it's a weeknight-friendly take on an Indian classic.

One-pot Italian chicken and rice baked with tomatoes, olives, pimentos, and green peas. The rice toasts golden before baking and absorbs all the pan juices.

Austrian Wiener Schnitzel seasoned with Worcestershire, mustard, and Parmesan, then breaded and pan-fried in butter. Served with a velvety tomato-cream sauce that steals the show.

Authentic slow-simmered Indian curry with freshly toasted and ground whole spices, served over fragrant cardamom-turmeric basmati rice. Use any pre-cooked meat for a deeply spiced homemade curry.

Louisiana courtbouillon with red snapper and oysters in a dark roux-thickened tomato sauce with the Creole holy trinity, mushrooms, and bay. Served over hot rice. A classic Cajun seafood stew.

Red snapper Veracruz: a classic Mexican fish dish baked in a tomato-olive-jalapeno sauce with garlic, oregano, and bay. Quick to assemble, ready in 30 minutes. The signature dish of Veracruz cuisine.

Here's a recipe for pumpkin soup. It comes from Jon Gatewood, the executive chef of Emma's restaurant in the Silas Griffith Inn in Danby, Vermont.

A paprika-rubbed whole roasted chicken stuffed with garlic, orange peel, bay leaves, and rosemary, finished with a reduced pan sauce. Sunday dinner at its finest.

Grape harvester's soup is a French country pot-au-feu with garlic-studded chuck roast, cabbage, turnips, leeks, and tomatoes simmered until fork-tender. A hearty, rustic one-pot meal for cold weather.

New Orleans-style crawfish consomme simmered with leeks, carrots, and bay leaves. A crystal-clear broth packed with sweet crawfish flavor, worthy of a masterchef.

Cubed lamb or beef simmered for an hour with saffron, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon until the sauce turns thick and fragrant. A slow-cooked Indian curry built on whole spices.

Texas-style beanless chili with cubed pork loin and beef brisket braised in beer, tequila, and triple cumin, thickened with masa harina. Six pounds of meat, no beans, all heat.

Irish lamb stew with red potatoes, pearl onions, and a splash of Irish ale. Slow-simmered with thyme and bay until the lamb is fork-tender. A St. Patrick's Day classic.

Fork-tender beef braised in red Zinfandel with juniper berries, thyme, and bay leaf in a clay pot. The wine-rich sauce gets its velvety body from pressed braised vegetables, poured over chunks of steamed carrots and potatoes.

Old-fashioned homemade chili sauce simmered for hours from fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, brown sugar, and warm spices including cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. A classic American canned condiment recipe.

Saffron garlic potato soup: a Provencal-style aigo bouido with a whole head of garlic, fresh herbs, saffron threads, and diced potatoes. Served over French bread with melted parmesan.

Rich venison and mushroom stew braises marinated game low and slow into a dark, glossy gravy, then crowns it with crisp lemon-parsley forcemeat balls. A deeply savory, make-ahead wild-game casserole.

Lentil and garbanzo bean salad with cherry tomatoes, carrots, scallions, and fresh parsley in a lemon olive oil dressing. High-protein, vegan, and served cold.

Hearty meatball chowder with walnut-sized beef meatballs, potatoes, carrots, rice, and Mexicorn in a tomato-beef broth. A big-batch soup that feeds a crowd.

Red pepper and lentil pasta sauce braised in red wine with garlic, onion, and basil, then pureed silky smooth. A hearty vegan sauce packed with plant protein and bold flavor.

A rustic one-pot meal of ham hocks and sausages simmered with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and onions in a savory broth. Hearty, warming, and satisfying enough to be dinner all by itself.

Rustic game bird stew braised with bacon, mushrooms, toasted hazelnuts, and amber ale until falling off the bone. Served over crusty brown bread for a hearty British-style supper.

A loaded spaghetti sauce simmered uncovered for 6+ hours with ground sirloin, porterhouse steak, leeks, mushrooms, peppers, and a heap of herbs. Thick, meaty, and worth every minute of the wait.

Vegetarian tofu chili: a hearty meatless chili with browned tofu chunks, kidney beans, and a from-scratch spice blend of pure ground chiles, cumin, and oregano.

Pickled pink eggs tinted with beet juice and brined in a vinegar-pickling-spice mix with garlic and bay leaf. Classic pub-snack or potluck appetizer that gets better the longer it sits. Just six ingredients.

Nothing fancy here, just a scrumptious dish that will satisfy both your hunger and tastebuds.

Hearty vegetarian lima bean stew with fresh fennel, mushrooms, and white wine creates a rustic Mediterranean one-pot meal.