Morningsun Herb Farm

The Mint Edition

Morningsun Herb Farm's newsletter for herbal enthusiasts

Spring/Summer 2009

 

When I first found out that bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) was the Herb of the Year for 2009, I thought to myself, well, that’s nice, but it doesn’t really have as many culinary uses as so many of our popular culinary herbs.   Well, that is truly incorrect, although I have a theory why bay may not be as popular of a culinary herb as it should be here in our area.

 

The true bay laurel, often called Grecian, sweet or Turkish bay, is a large evergreen tree, native throughout the Mediterranean and Asia minor,  that grows very well in our California climate – I have 3 large trees (30 feet tall)  in my front yard in Vacaville.  California bay (Umbellularia californica) looks very similar in form and size, but has a completely different fragrance and flavor.  California bay smells and tastes powerfully of menthol and petroleum overtones, while bay laurel has a mild, sweet nutmeg – like scent, with a suggestion of citrus and a flowery undertone of vanilla, with perhaps a hint of mint.  Hmmm, which sounds better to cook with?  Unfortunately if you purchase dried bay leaves from the supermarket you will almost always get the California bay, which is harvested right here in the hills around Solano County.  While this plant is excellent for many medicinal purposes, and is wonderful for chasing away moths, using it for cooking will quickly ruin a soup, stew or dessert.  So my theory is that California cooks try bay once, using only California bay, and decide it really doesn’t belong in the kitchen!

 

Bay has some wonderful folklore and ancient spiritual uses.  Laurus nobilis in Latin most likely means ‘famous tree’,  based on the ancient use of the stems, leaves and fruit in making a crown or cap to identify a person famous for their accomplishments (such as graduation from a university, where the graduate receives a baccalaureate degree).  In Greek  mythology the bay tree was sacred to Apollo, Greek god of prophecy, poetry an healing.  His priestesses ate bay leaves before expounding his oracles at Delphi, where all of the roofs of the temples were covered with bay to ward of disease, witchcraft and lightning.  Because large quantities of bay induce a narcotic effect, this may explain their trances.  Water was filtered through the leaves and this wet bough was used to sprinkle and bless congregations. The priestesses at Delphi ate large quantities of bay leaves before  A bay bough is still used in a similar fashion in the Greek Orthodox service.

 

Bay is easy to grow, although it is a slow grower until the roots are well established.  It is hardy to USDA zone 8, so in many parts of the country it is grown as a potted plant and moved indoors or into a cellar to protect it during the winter months.  Here in central California it is a very hardy evergreen – my trees are at least 60 years old, and I have seen no winter damage.  Because bay grows to be so large in the ground, it is often grown in large containers and sheared to be a bush or even a standard.   It is a very popular choice in European cities to use as a street tree in large decorative pots. 

 

Bay does not require much in the way of nutrients.  Once the plant is established in the ground, once a year fertilization is plenty for the first 5 years, with no fertilizing needed after that time.  In containers, a complete slow release fertilizer applied every 3 months is generally all that is needed.   Bay prefers a friable, well drained soil in full sun, so adding compost to the soil will help drainage, and planting in a location where excessive water will not sit around the trunk of the tree will reduce root rot.

 

The only insect that can be a problem is scale.  Spraying horticultural oil will usually take care of this problem, especially when ants are also monitored and kept from the tree.  Bay has been found to be a mild insecticide, and leaves are often placed in pantries and with clothing to keep away moths.

 

Bay is probably most famous as an ingredient in bouquet garni, which consists of bay leaf, parsley and thyme, usually tied together and used fresh, or perhaps dried with the bay as the outer leaf, or in small muslin bags.  This is an essential combination used in soups and stews.  It is an essential component of making homemade stock.   Because the leaves of bay never cook down to be soft and pliable, they are generally removed from the dish before serving, and cooked as whole leaves.  Bay leaves are wonderful with poached fish or baked under chicken skin.  Add to rice dishes or to the steamer for vegetables, or include whole leaves when baking root vegetables.  Because bay laurel gives a subtle sweet spice flavor to desserts, almost like nutmeg,  vanilla, and butterscotch, steep the leaves in hot milk or cream used for custards, or cook with winter fruits.  Because fresh bay leaves are much stronger than dried, use fresh leaves more sparingly in cooking.

 

Bay is used to relieve aching muscles, both as an essential oil added in dilute form to a carrier oil and used for massage, and as whole leaves added to bath water.  It has been used for sprains and  rheumatic joints.  It is infused in many liqueurs, especially bitters, and can be used as a tea for digestion and to increase appetite. 

 

Bay will be the featured plant at our Mother’s Day Open House on Saturday, May 9^th, 2009.  All mother’s will receive a free bouquet garni with herbs from Morningsun Herb Farm.

Dried leaves lack the sweet floral characteristics of the fresh leaves, and California bay is far too strong to use in this dish.  The chicken is roasted at a very high temperature, which can create a bit of smoke, so be sure to use the exhaust fan while roasting. 

 

One  3 ½ - 4 lb chicken                    12 fresh Laurus nobilis leaves     2 cloves garlic

1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil       salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup dry white wine

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Remove giblets and wash and pat dry the chicken.  Bend the wing tips back and tuck them behind their first joints.  Using your fingertips, carefully loosen the chicken skin from the flesh.  Begin at the bottom of the breast and, without tearing the skin, work your hand under the skin all the way up the breast and down into the thigh on each side.  Crack the bay leaves to release their flavor by holding both ends of the leaf and twisting (don’t break them in half).  Cut each of the garlic cloves into about 6 slivers.  Place 2 bay leaves into the cavity of the bird.  Insert the remaining leaves under the skin, placing them as evenly as possible – 2 under the skin of each thigh and 3 under the skin of each side of the breast.  Place the garlic slices evenly under the skin as well.  Tie the legs together with a short piece of kitchen twine. 

 

Place the chicken breast side up in a shallow roasting pan, about 11 x 8 inches.  Rub the bird with the olive oil on all sides and season it with salt and pepper.  Roast until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 to 170 degrees, 50 to 60 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes in a warm place.

 

Tilt the roasting pan, and using a flatware tablespoon, skim off as much fat as you can.  Place the roasting pan over medium low heat and add the wine.  As it simmers, scrape up and dissolve the sticky bits at the bottom of the pan.  Add ¼  cup hot water if more liquid is needed.  Pour the jus into a sauceboat to pass at the table.  As you carve the chicken remove and discard the bay leaves from under the skin before serving.

Creamy rice pudding is one of the simple pleasures in life.  Easy to make, its nostalgic taste and texture promise both warmth and comfort. 

 

2 ½ cups low fat milk       2 fresh bay leaves, torn               2 oz short grain rice

3 tbsp sugar                   1 tsp vanilla                                2 tbsp toasted sliced almonds

 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Place the milk and bay leaves in a pan and heat until almost boiling.  Remove from the heat, add vanilla and cool.

 

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch  shallow ovenproof dish.  Scatter the rice and sugar into the pan, pouring the cooled milk over.  Remove bay leaves.  Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour.  Remove the foil and stir well, then cover and bake an additional 30 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle the almonds over the top of the rice.  Bake for 30 minutes until the milk is absorbed and the rice is creamy.  Serves 4.

This is more of a salad than a pickle, these snappy colorful vegetables are just the thing to have on hand as a refreshing accompaniment to grilled meats and spicy foods.  Try different herb combinations along with the bay laurel.

 

½ cup kosher salt             2 qts cool water                               

2 qts prepared vegetables, such as strips of bell pepper, fennel bulb or cabbae, carrot sticks, seeded cucumber strips, cauliflower florets

2 cups white wine vinegar

¾ cups sugar

2 cups water

4 thai chiles or1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes

3 bay laurel leaves, fresh or dry

One 1 oz bunch of herb sprigs; try one of these combinations:

Caraway thyme and lovage; lemon verbena and mint; tarragon and fennel seed; sage and lemon thyme

 

Stir the salt and 2 qts water together in a large plastic container or glass bowl until the salt dissolves.  Add the vegetables and let them sit in this brine at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours.  Bring the vinegar, sugar, 2 cups water, chiles, and bay leaves to a boil in a saucepan.  Drop in the herb bunch, turn off the heat, and let the liquid cool to room temperature.  Drain the vegetables, put them back in the container, and pour the pickling liquid with the herbs over the top.  Press the vegetables down under the liquid if they are exposed.  Cover and refrigerate.  The ‘pickles’ will be ready to eat the next day.