Recipes with bay leaves

Slow-braised shredded beef simmered with stewed tomatoes, cumin, and garlic until fork-tender. Makes 3 quarts of tender, saucy meat for tacos, burritos, and more.

Old-fashioned veal stew is the French classic blanquette de veau: blanched veal gently simmered with pearl onions, mushrooms, and chicken stock, finished with a velvety egg-yolk and cream velouté sauce.

All-purpose bourbon marinade with white wine, vinegar, and aromatics built for wild game. Tames gamey flavors and tenderizes up to 7 lbs of venison, elk, or any cut.

French mushroom salad a la Grecque with whole caps simmered in olive oil, white wine, tomato, coriander seeds, and thyme, then chilled and served cold.

Italian lentil crostini topped with a velvety lentil puree and bubbly melted Fontina cheese. Earthy, rich, and ready for your next antipasto spread.

Poor man's lasagne, a one-pot ground beef and macaroni casserole with tomato sauce, mushrooms, and a cheesy topping. A budget-friendly skillet-to-oven alternative to layered lasagna in under an hour.

Hasenpfeffer, the German-American marinated rabbit stew: rabbit pickled 2 days in spiced vinegar brine, browned in butter, braised in its own marinade, and finished with sour cream.

A proper British steak and kidney pie with claret-marinated beef, browned mushrooms, and a golden puff pastry lid. Hearty, old-school comfort that feeds eight hungry guests.

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.

Braune Bohnen, German green beans in a savory brown gravy: a dark roux loosened with broth and seasoned with a clove-studded onion, bay and a touch of sugar, then folded with al dente green beans. A cozy old-world side dish.

Savory vegetable soup simmered low and slow with tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, beans, corn and mushrooms in a rich bouillon broth. A fat-free, pantry-friendly pot that tastes better the next day.

Tomato-based fish soup with haddock, shrimp, leeks, and carrots in a homemade fish stock. The tomato paste and paprika give this hearty chowder its signature pink color.

Fish pie: flaky poached haddock and hard-boiled eggs folded with peas in a creamy parsley sauce, topped with buttery breadcrumbs and baked golden. A classic British comfort-food bake.

Old-world fermented garlic pickles with cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, and celery in a salt brine with mustard seed, peppercorns, and bay. Crunchy lacto-fermented crock pickles in 10 days.

Mexican-style chicken breasts braised in tomato sauce with green olives, capers, and mushrooms. Veracruz-inspired one-skillet dinner with bright, briny flavor.

Simple two-bean salad with great northern beans, red kidney beans, fresh tomatoes, and Swiss chard made in a pressure cooker. A wholesome plant-based meal served over rice or pasta.

Four whole heads of garlic simmered with onion, chicken stock, and day-old French bread, puréed smooth and finished with cream. Mellow, rich, and nothing like you'd expect.

A cozy vegetarian pasta soup loaded with sliced meatless sausage, serrano chiles, red bell pepper, and sweet peas in a lemon pepper broth. Hearty, spicy, and ready in an hour.

This soup is a complete meal when served with a green salad and French bread.

Herring in wine and sour cream marinated overnight with sliced onions, white vinegar, bay leaves, and peppercorns. A Northern European cold appetizer with tangy, sweet-briny pickled fish.

Salmon con ternera stacks poached salmon on pounded beef steak with a garlic-herb crust, ham, and shrimp. A dramatic surf-and-turf baked in one dish.

Beef spaghetti sauce simmered low and slow with garlic, oregano, thyme and a bay leaf for that deep Sunday-supper flavor. Hearty meat sauce that thickens to clingy, glossy perfection over hot pasta.

Cuban-style black beans simmered with sofrito of onion, bell pepper, garlic, and cumin. Vegan, gluten-free, and the foundation of frijoles negros y arroz.

Traditional Irish lamb stew with potatoes, carrots, and onions simmered low with a bouquet garni of thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Simple, hearty, and no-fuss.

A Sauerbraten-style pot roast marinated 3 days in vinegar and spices, braised until fork-tender, and finished with a gingersnap-thickened gravy. Old-world flavor worth the wait.

Homestyle beef meatballs with oats simmered in a spicy tomato sauce with green peppers, onion, and cayenne. Serve over buttered rice for a filling weeknight dinner.

Basmati rice simmered in chicken broth with sliced mushrooms and a bay leaf. A simple, fragrant 4-ingredient side dish ready in 35 minutes.

Silky bay leaf custard draped in clove-spiked caramel with a splash of amaretto. This slow-baked Spanish-style flan is elegant, aromatic, and unforgettable.

Pickled sweet and sour fish marinated in vinegar with peppercorns and allspice. Firm white fish coated in rye flour, pan-fried, then marinated up to 3 days.

Ink-stuffed squid seared over campfire coals with garlic, lemon, paprika, and rice. Inspired by a Catalina Island beach cook from Jean-Michel Cousteau. Rustic, bold seafood.

British pork belly and pig's kidney casserole slow-braised with celery, onion, orange zest, and rosemary, then chilled overnight for depth. Old-school nose-to-tail comfort food from the English kitchen.

The classic Italian cold veal dish reimagined over pasta. Tender braised veal sliced thin over noodles tossed in a silky tuna-anchovy sauce with capers and parsley.

Grilled oysters on the half shell drenched in a rich curry cream sauce made with homemade fish fumet, topped with a tropical red banana salsa spiked with serrano chiles, tamarind, and fresh mint. A showstopper.

Salt cod meets fresh fillets in crispy, golden cakes loaded with herbs, cayenne kick, and Old Bay vibes. Pan-fried to crunchy perfection for seafood lovers craving coastal comfort.

Lamb carnitas braised in milk with coriander, savory, and bay leaves until fall-apart tender. Served in tortillas with broiled onions, tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa.

Slow-braised shredded beef chuck in a spicy, tangy sauce with taco sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and chili powder, piled high on soft buns. Feeds eight hungry people and takes about 4 hours.

Pressure cooker collard greens with butter beans, white wine, bay leaves, and fresh hot peppers. Southern comfort without the ham hock, ready in 30 minutes.

Vegan red beans and rice: two kinds of red beans simmered with chili, cumin, and tomato, folded into brown rice and served with fresh salsa. A high-fiber, gluten-free, meatless take on the Southern classic.

Pâté de poulet en gelée layers poached chicken, broiled chicken livers, poached vegetables, and apple in individual aspic molds. Elegant French cold starter set in savory gelatin.

Kolkata-style curried salmon simmered with whole spices, yogurt, and mustard, served over crisp-tender steamed vegetables. Fragrant with cardamom, cloves, and fresh ginger.

Cajun file gumbo with canned salmon, okra, and the holy trinity simmered down and finished with file powder. A Lafayette-style one-pot supper served over hot rice.

Pork loin in green sauce: Mexican-style pork simmered tender, then sliced into a tomatillo-tomato-chile-cilantro salsa verde. Serve with rice or boiled potatoes.

Southern-style pickled shrimp marinated overnight with red wine and tarragon vinegar, capers, onions, and bay leaves. A tangy, briny make-ahead appetizer for any gathering.

Seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp, crab, and five pounds of okra smothered with tomatoes, garlic, and hot sauce. An authentic okra-thickened Cajun gumbo, no roux needed.

A rustic French fish soup from Brittany with chunky fish, potatoes, and herbs simmered in a fragrant broth. Served over crusty bread with fish and potatoes on the side.

Loaded herbed beef stew packed with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, corn, peas, green beans, and fresh tomatoes. Rosemary, oregano, basil, and marjoram build layers of savory warmth.

Chow down on this savory dish that is so easy to make, you can use your crockpot!

Herb-loaded tomato barbecue sauce sweetened with honey and spiked with cumin, coriander, chili powder, and Tabasco. Simmers for 30 minutes and makes 5 cups of bold, versatile basting sauce.