My bountiful and beautiful Bay Laurel
I just cannot help myself. My chest puffs out just a little, I stand a little straighter, and a self-satisfied grin cannot be contained when I harvest and cook with food grown in my own yard. No pats on the back from others are necessary. I already feel the pride tingling from my toes to my taste buds.
In Oregon, that bubbly feeling is mostly reserved for late spring and summer harvesting. However, a few hardy herbs, rosemary and Bay Laurel, keep me happily snipping and showing off – just a little – throughout the winter.
Most recipes I run across with Bay Laurel leaves instruct the cook to simmer the whole leaf and then remove the herb before serving. I have never though much of it. Just did as I was told. Until today when I ran across a recipe that asked for “crushed” Bay leaf. Hmmm. Can’t really pull it out of the sauce if it is crushed. And, how does one go about “crushing” a Bay leaf? And if I do crush it, can I leave it in? This particular vodka sauce recipe does not say anything about removing the Bay leaf.
After some quick research, I have found a few very important facts:
1. Crushing a Bay leaf is done easily with the back of a spoon and the crushing helps release more of the herb’s flavor.
2. Bay leaves do not soften when cooked and can be sharp , chewy and very unpleasant to eat. The leaf has got to go before serving.
3. If you go the crushed route, place the pieces in a tea ball or a tea strainer or a cheese cloth or a coffee filter and tie closed with string. Now you can simmer the bay leaf pieces and still remove them before serving.
Though I am a little puzzled about the vodka sauce recipe that does not address any of the Bay leaf mysteries, I do welcome the opportunity to do a little sleuthing on the internet. It feels so good to grab a little knowledge…almost as good as grabbing a fresh herb from my garden.
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