Garner Laurels For Your Cooking!

For years, the pace of my life was so fast that I did a lot of cooking from memory.  After a while, my life slowed enough that I began to enjoy cooking again.  No longer satisfied with my bland rendition of beef stew, I pulled out my mother's Betty Crocker Cook Book to check the recipe.  I went through the ingredient list, checking off each in my head until, eureka, the missing element appeared:  the noble bay leaf.

Bay leaf working its magic in a pot of venison chili

Each generation's recipes having a "taste" to them by virtue of the herbs and spices popular at the time.  One herb that seems to have fallen out of favor is the bay leaf.  The leaf of the bay laurel (laurus nobilis) has been used as a seasoning and a medicinal since Roman times and is an essential element of the French bouquet garni.  It is common in older cookbooks, but seems to be a scarce ingredient in recipes on common recipes sites like Recipe.com (241 hits), and Epicurious (174 hits). 


While reader-contributed recipes may not value the noble leaf, FoodNetwork and celebrity chefs seem to value it:

• Warm Bananas with Brown Sugar & Bay Leaf from Michael Chiarello
• Chicken Noodle Soup from Tyler Florence
• Texas Oven-Roasted Brisket from Tom Perini
• Chicken Stew from Giada De Laurentiis

So, I'm sharing the old secret with you.  Add a bay leaf to your soups and stews.  That's what I did to my stew, and it tasted just like my mother's.  I've tweaked the recipe since then, deglazing the pan with wine, adding thyme, and such.  I have to confess that I rarely make stew by the recipe.  In spring, I'll add spring (green) onions and a bit more thyme for a hint of Provencal.  In winter, I may add sage and parsley, and even parsnips for some of the potatoes.  Use the recipes below as a culinary canvas for your creativity and enjoy accolades from your family!

A Savory Stew

1-2 pounds of beef roast, cut into approximately 1-inch cubes
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 small rib of celery, chopped (you can include the leaves)
1-2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1-2 T. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (please use the real thing!)
4-5 large red potatoes, washed and cubed (or use 10-12 smaller potatoes)
3-4 large carrots, washed and sliced
1 large Penzey's bay leaf, as fresh as possible
1/2 t. thyme (or 1 t. fresh thyme)
1 T. Grapeseed oil for browning meat
Salt and pepper to taste
Water, about 1 quart
1-2 c. wine (optional; I like a light Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio)


Heat pan, then add grapeseed oil to hot pan.  Brown beef cubes, then add onions, garlic, and celery, sauteing until the vegetables are soft.  Add bay leaf and thyme and cook for a minute or two, then add salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce. 


After a minute or two, add about a cup of water (or wine), stirring to deglaze pan.  Add vegetables, then enough water to more than cover by an inch or so.  Cook until the vegetables are done.  You could also transfer to a slow-cooker at this point.  Adjust seasonings before serving.


Serve with crusty bread, your favorite wine, and a welcoming fire in the fireplace!

 Savory Sausage Soup



Tasty and filling
Savory Sausage
Soup



1 can Bush's red kidney beans

1 can Steakhouse Recipe Grillin' Beans

1 can Mexican Ro*Tel

2 cans Swansons beef broth

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1 pound Johnsonville summer sausage, 1" slices

2 Penzey's bay leaves

1 T. Watkins Onion Soup & Gravy Base

1/4 t. Penzey's gumbo file

1 T. Watkins Blazin' Cajun Snack and Dip Seasoning

1 t. Watkins grapeseed oil

Saute sausage with Blazin' Cajun seasoning until golden brown.  Add Rotel, onion soup base, and file.  When tomatoes are softened, add bay leaves, beans with juice from can and corn.  Simmer 30-45 minutes over low to medium heat.  Serve over rice.  C'est bon!



Savory Sausage Soup on a cold winter's night!