Packaging: 15 g (or 150 g, 300 g, & 1 kg) containing bay leaves.
(The price includes VAT.)

Other Names: Bayia, Dafnolia, Fyllada & Daphne

Properties:

• Improves digestion.
• Helps with colic and gas in the intestines.
• Ideal for relaxation before sleep.
• Aids in the regular menstrual cycle for women.
• Relieves rheumatic and arthritic pains (washes).
• Assists with injuries, sprains, and bruises.
• Ideal for scabies (washes).
• Helps with hair loss, strengthens hair, and treats dandruff (washes).

Additionally, bay leaves are widely used in cooking for sauces and stews (such as stifado, lentils, squid, etc.), and they pair well with meats (like chops, beef, chicken, etc.) and fish (like sea bream, sardines, etc.). Finally, for those who love the subtle aroma of bay leaves, they can make a wonderful liqueur.

If you enjoy our bay leaves, check out other products we make with bay leaves such as: vegeta, fish spice mix, hair oil, bay oil, essential oil of bay, organic bay essential oil, muscle recovery balm, and creativity essential oil blend.

Origin: Greece, Imathia region (cultivated)

Storage: Keep in a dark and cool place (5°C – 15°C).

Preparation: 1 tablespoon of crushed bay leaves (or 3-4 leaves) is steeped in 1 cup of boiling water in a covered container for 10-15 minutes and then strained before use. For washes, prepare a more concentrated tea at a dose of 50-60 g in 1 liter of water.

Recipes with Bay Leaves:

(1). Squid with Pasta
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings):

• 1 bay leaf
• Cinnamon
• Rosemary
• Clove
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried parsley
• Pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup filtered squid ink
• 800 g fresh squid, cut into strips
• 1 pack of No. 6 pasta
• 1 bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 chopped onion
• 200 g olive oil
• 300 g strong vinegar
• 1 coffee cup of grape molasses

Instructions: Boil salted water in a pot. When it boils, add the pasta and stir continuously to prevent sticking for 10 minutes. Next, heat the olive oil, sauté the onion, add the pepper and squid, and stir until soft. Deglaze with vinegar, add a bit of warm water, and toss in the pasta, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Add squid ink, seasonings, molasses, and simmer until thickened. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and dried parsley.

(2). Penne with Minced Meat and Béchamel in the Oven
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings):

• 1 pack penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 250 g Emmental cheese, grated

For the Bolognese sauce:

• 400 g minced beef
• 7 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 chopped onions
• 1 small glass white wine
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper

For the béchamel:

• 3 cups warm milk
• 3 tablespoons margarine
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/3 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil for greasing the baking dish

For garnishing:

• A bit of dried parsley and grated Parmesan.

Instructions:
Bolognese sauce: In a pot, heat the oil and sauté the minced meat for 4-5 minutes. Add onions, celery, and bacon and sauté for about 5 minutes. Deglaze with wine and let it boil until the alcohol evaporates. Add diluted tomato paste in 3 cups of water, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, and let simmer for about 35-40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Béchamel: In a pot, melt the margarine, add flour, and stir continuously with a wooden spoon. Gradually add milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, stirring until thickened, then remove from heat. Boil water with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the penne, boil for 4-5 minutes, and drain. Layer half the pasta in an oiled baking dish, top with the meat mixture, add the remaining penne, spread the béchamel on top, sprinkle with Emmental, and bake for about 30 minutes. Serve in pieces, garnished with parsley and Parmesan.

(3). Mano a Mano (Cuban Style)
Preparation: 10’, Cooking: 40’

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 1 can red beans, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, grated
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 diced tomato
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 sausages, sliced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rum

Instructions: Heat oil and sauté bacon. Add onion, garlic, and tomato. After 5 minutes, add cumin, paprika, bay leaves, and lime juice. Stir in beans, sausages, and sugar. Add broth and simmer for 30 minutes on low heat. Stir in rice, drizzle with rum, mix, and serve.

(4). Fillet with Mushrooms and Black Bay
Preparation: 5’, Cooking: 12’

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 4 beef fillets
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 16 fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 cup wild mushrooms
• ⅓ cup cognac
• ¾ cup black bay
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions: Soak mushrooms in boiling water for about 20 minutes. Heat oil and sear fillets for 1 minute on each side. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Deglaze with cognac, let the alcohol evaporate, then add mushrooms and black bay, the bay leaf, thyme, and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve with mashed potatoes or vegetables.

(5). Lentil Soup
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings):

• ½ kg lentils
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons garlic
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 coffee cup olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions: Rinse lentils, place in a pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Drain and rinse, then return to the pot with fresh water, onions, garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, and pepper. Simmer for about 45 minutes on medium heat, adding oil and salt 15 minutes before cooking. Serve warm with additional oil and vinegar if desired.

(6). Chicken Soup with Vegetables and Trahana for Colds
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings):

• 1 small whole chicken
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced
• ½ red pepper, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 tablespoons sweet trahana
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt, pepper, ginger, cedar grains

Instructions: Boil the chicken in plenty of water with a bay leaf and cedar grains, then debone and set aside the meat, keeping the broth. Sauté vegetables in olive oil until golden, then add the broth. Once boiling, add trahana and season. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add chicken pieces and let sit for 5-6 minutes before serving.

(7). Baked Mackerel
Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 4 mackerels
• 2 large onions
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• A bit of hot pepper or chili flakes
• 1-2 tablespoons garlic
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• Salt

Instructions: Clean fish, salt them, and place them in a baking dish. Slice onions and peppers, squeeze tomatoes to remove seeds, and grate. In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté onions. Add garlic, tomatoes, salt, and cook until the tomato thickens. Then add bay leaves and hot pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish and bake for about 15 minutes at 200°C.

(8)Fish Soup with Monkfish Head

This soup should not be cloudy or thick, and that should not worry us.

Preparation: 1 hour
Waiting: 1 hour
Cooking: About 1 hour + 15 minutes

Ingredients (for 4 servings): For the broth:

• 2 monkfish heads (about 3 kg each) or 1 large head, well washed with cold water to remove any blood
• 40 ml olive oil
• 6 tablespoons garlic
• 150 g onion, finely chopped
• 100 g organic carrots, grated
• 70 g celery, grated
• 100 g canned tomatoes, chopped
• 750 ml dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 15 white peppercorns
• 2 star anise

For the soup:

• 250 g organic carrots, diced
• 200 g fennel, diced
• 250 g organic potatoes, diced (soaked in cold water until use to prevent browning)
• ½ bunch of chervil (or dried parsley if unavailable)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped or dried
• Salt, freshly ground white pepper
• Olive oil and lemon juice for garnish (optional)

Instructions: Broth: In a large pot, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften but do not brown. Add the tomatoes, then 1 minute later, add the monkfish heads and wine. Increase the heat and wait for the wine to boil. Once it boils for 2 minutes, add enough water to cover the fish and add the bay leaf, thyme, pepper, and star anise. Once the broth begins to simmer, reduce the heat and let it gently boil (you should see very few "soft" bubbles) for 30 minutes. If using 1 large fish head, it may need about 45 minutes.

Note: Before the broth starts boiling, we need to begin skimming the surface, which we will continue throughout the cooking process. Skimming should not be done with a slotted spoon but with a small serving spoon, ensuring we only remove the foam. Once the broth is ready, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 1 hour. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish heads and place them in a heatproof bowl, covering them. Remove and discard the vegetables from the broth, then strain the broth through a very fine sieve (similar to a tea strainer; if unavailable, line a regular strainer with cheesecloth) into another pot.

Soup: Place the pot with the broth back on the heat and add the potatoes. After boiling for 15 minutes, add the carrots and boil for another 5 minutes. Then, add the fennel and the bunch of chervil, and boil for another 3 minutes. While the vegetables are boiling, continue skimming the surface. Remove the pot from the heat, season the soup, and if desired, add a bit of lemon juice and some raw olive oil. Remove and discard the chervil and add the chives. At this point, you can shred the fish from the heads and add it to the soup. However, it’s preferable to warm the head in the oven, season it, and enjoy it separately as a delicious appetizer. Serve the soup with warm toasted bread.

(9) Mushrooms with Sweet Potato Purée

Ingredients (for 4-6 servings):

For the mushrooms:

• ½ kg small onions
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 bay leaves
• A bit of dried parsley and dill
• Salt
• Pepper
• ¾ kg mushrooms
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup white wine

For the purée:

• 8 sweet potatoes
• 100 g butter
• 1 to 2 cups warm milk (as needed)
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions: For the mushrooms: Clean and wash the onions. In a pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions. Add the lemon juice, wine, and a cup of warm water. Add the herbs and pepper and let it boil for about 20 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and boil for another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

For the purée: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 3 cm cubes. Place them in a pot with plenty of salted water and boil, skimming the foam from the surface. Once tender (about 25 minutes), drain them. Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl and gradually add the butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Mash with a potato masher or fork and serve the purée warm.