Recipes with bay leaves

Try making this healthy variation of chicken stock that can be used to make soups and stews.

Pepper oysters are a chef-style appetizer of fresh oysters poached in their own liquor, then marinated overnight in mortar-ground black peppercorn, garlic, bay leaf, and lime. Bright, briny, bracing.

Chilled cream of vegetable soup with spinach, carrots, celery, and green pepper, pureed and enriched with egg yolks and half-and-half. Served cold with sour cream and fresh herbs.

Santa Maria-style bean soup made from soaked dried beans, onion, carrot, celery and tomato simmered in olive-oil-rich broth with cumin and bay. A rustic peasant soup that improves overnight.

Cajun shrimp jambalaya simmers smoky ham, the Holy Trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper, tomatoes and converted rice in bacon drippings before folding in shrimp at the end. A one-pot Louisiana classic.

Grilled chuck roast marinated overnight in red wine vinegar, thyme, and bay leaf with a microwave pre-cook for even doneness. A budget cut turned into tender charcoal-grilled beef.

Pisnyi borsch is a meatless Ukrainian beet soup with dried boletus mushrooms, beet kvas, root vegetables, and fresh dill. A clear, jewel-toned broth served over vushka dumplings for a traditional Lenten meal.

Lima beans with grilled stuffed grape leaves: vegetarian dolmas packed with spinach, zucchini, and summer squash, skewered and grilled, served over simmered lima beans with tomato and jalapeno.

Slow-simmered spaghetti sauce with ground beef, three types of tomatoes, cream of mushroom soup, and chili powder. Two hours of uncovered cooking builds deep, rich flavor.

Roasted pork shoulder on sauerkraut with juniper berries, grated apples, white wine, and bay leaves. A hearty German-style pork and kraut dish with deep, rustic flavor.

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.

Mediterranean mushrooms simmered in a garlicky tomato and olive oil broth with lemon juice, bay leaf, and fresh parsley. A low-calorie vegetarian side dish or appetizer bursting with bright, clean flavors.

Burmese-style coconut rice with grated coconut, cinnamon, turmeric, curry powder, cloves, and bay leaves stirred into cooked rice. A fragrant, warmly spiced side dish ready in 30 minutes.

Roasted mallard duck with turnips, basted in pan juices with a rosemary and bay leaf herb bouquet. Best served medium rare with pale rose juices.

Lean ground turkey chili with kidney beans, vegetable juice, and a balanced spice mix. Quick weeknight dinner with classic chili flavor minus the heaviness.

Mexican black bean soup with a secret hit of Mexican chocolate, serrano chile, and finished with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Authentic depth from a long slow simmer.