Cultural Cuisine and Bay Leaf

Native to the Mediterranean, bay leaf, or laurel, has been used since ancient Greece as a symbol of praise or scholarship for heroes and poets. Bay leaves date back to the legend of the Greek god Apollo, who was the god of prophecy, healing and poetry. Today, bay leaf is primarily used to flavor foods, as in bouquets garnis, and it is used in global cuisine, from Italian to Thai.

United States: In Creole cooking, bay leaves may be used in a variety of slow-cooking dishes, such as soups, stews, sauces (particularly those that are tomato-based), marinades and even fruit punch. These dishes may feature a variety of ingredients, including game, shellfish, grains and beans. Bay leaf is an ingredient in Old Bay® Seasoning, which also contains mustard, paprika, celery seed, black and red pepper, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, salt and ginger. Old Bay® Seasoning is typically used in seafood dishes and may be regionally popular in the Southern and Coastal states.

Mexico: In Mexico, bay leaves may be used in stews such as pozole (pork and hominy), fish dishes such as the traditional minilla from Veracruz, chiles en nogada (stuffed chiles) and in barbacoa (marinated, slow-roasted meats).

Argentina: In Argentina, bay leaves may be included in roasted beef dishes and a special pastel de pollo, which is similar to chicken pot pie, served at Easter.

Brazil: In Brazilian cooking, bay leaves may be a frequent addition to meat (such as buchada) and poultry dishes.

Chile: In Chile, bay leaves may be included in chupe de porotos, a traditional bean chowder.

Colombia: Bay leaves may be included in roasted beef dishes in Columbian cuisine.

Peru: In Peru, bay leaves may be used in a marinade for fried fish, known as escabeche.

Uruguay: Carbonada, a veal stew, may be seasoned with bay leaves in Uruguay.

England: In British cuisine, bay leaves may be used in custards and rice puddings, or in sauces for puddings. Rice may also be stored with a bay leaf to pre-flavor the rice.

Germany: Bay leaves may appear in a variety of foods in Germany, including sauerkraut dishes, sauerbraten, lamb dishes, stews, soups of mushrooms, beans or vegetables, game dishes (such as venison or rabbit), roast turkey, broths, potato sauce and Bavarian goulash.

Greece: Greek dishes of shellfish and rice, including garidopílafo, may include bay leaves. Arni Souvlakia (Greek lamb on skewers) may also call for bay leaves.

Italy: Bay leaves, usually dried, may be commonly used in pickling, poaching and braising. They may also be added to marinades, stews, stocks, soups, sauces and fish dishes. They may also be soaked in vinegar to give the vinegar flavor.

France: Bay leaves are often a component of bouquet garni, a collection of seasonings fastened together and left to steep in a (often slow-cooking) dish, but removed before serving. Such dishes include soups, stews, stocks, sauces, and marinades. Bay leaves are considered compatible with fish, shellfish, meats (including game), beans and grains. For example, bay leaf may be used in court bouillon for poaching fish and in the fish soup bouillabaisse, as well as in pot-au-feu and daube provençal, stews usually made with beef.

Poland: Dried bay leaves may be a component of nearly all spice mixes used for meat stocks, court bouillon, soups, stews, gravies, goulash, bigos (a stew usually involving cabbage and meat), pickled vegetables, sauerkraut dishes, and marinades for mushrooms or meat. Also, powdered bay leaf may be sprinkled on roasts.

Spain: Bay leaves may be used in a variety of slow-cooking dishes such as soups, stews, sauces (particularly tomato), marinades and even fruit punch. These dishes may feature a variety of ingredients, including game, fish, shellfish, octopus, grains, and beans.

India: Bay leaves are often used in biryani, a dish typically found in Southern India, made with rice, spices, meat, fish, or vegetables. The spice mixture garam masala may contain bay leaves. Bay leaves may also be used to flavor pickles, preserved fruit, sauces, stuffing, meats and rice or lentil dishes. However, the "bay leaves" referred to in Indian recipes may be Indian bay leaves or cassia, Cinnamomum aromaticum, C. zeylanicum or C. tamala, rather than Laurus nobilis. Both types of "bay" are available in India.

Lebanon: In Lebanon, sambousek, savory filled pastries, may be seasoned with bay leaf. Chicken soup, pickled vegetables and vegetable stews may also feature bay leaves.

Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Palestine: Bay leaves may be used in chicken dishes in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Palestine.

Turkey: In Turkish cooking, bay leaves may be featured in stocks, bread, tomato ragout and fish dishes.

Yemen: Bay leaves may season grilled meats in Yemen.

Algeria: In Algeria, bay leaves may be used in meat, chicken, lentil and eggplant dishes.

Morocco: Bay leaves may be used as seasoning for grilled meats, chicken, fish stock, soaking dried beans, soup and ratatouille (a vegetable stew) in Moroccan cuisine.

Senegal: In Senegal, bay leaves may appear in chicken and rice dishes.

South Africa: A chopped beef dish known as bobotie may be seasoned with bay leaves in South Africa.

Tunisia: In Tunisia, fish may be prepared with bay leaf; bay leaf may also be used in pasta or meat.

References
1.Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/