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Herbs

Bay Leaf

Δάφνη · Dafni

Dried bay leaves used in Greek stews and braises
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Bay, dafni, gives its name to the laurel that ancient Greek victors were crowned with, and the same tree's leaves have sat in the bottom of Greek cooking pots for just as long, doing quiet, unglamorous work that most diners never consciously notice. It rarely leads a dish; it supports one, laid into stews, braised meats and simmering pulses to round off sharper flavours over a long cook.

The leaf itself is never eaten and is always fished back out before serving, which is worth remembering since a whole bay leaf left in a bowl of stifado or fasolada is a genuine choking hazard rather than a garnish. Its flavour needs real time in liquid to release properly, which is exactly why it shows up in dishes that simmer for an hour or more and almost never in anything quick.

Fresh bay, where it can be found, is notably more bitter and resinous than the dried leaf most kitchens keep, and Greek cooking has always defaulted to dried, aged bay rather than fresh for precisely that reason.

Recipes with bay leaf

53 recipes on the site use it. Here are 36 of them.

A tray of Greek moussaka with a browned bechamel top, one square lifted outMoussakaMousakas ΜουσακάςMain Courses · 1h 55m · serves 8A slice of pastitsio showing distinct layers of pasta, meat sauce and golden bechamelPastitsioPastitsio ΠαστίτσιοMain Courses · 1h 40m · serves 8A bowl of pale golden avgolemono soup with shredded chicken, rice and a lemon wedgeAvgolemono SoupKotosoupa avgolemono Κοτόσουπα αυγολέμονοSoups · 1h 30m · serves 6A bowl of thick Greek white bean soup with carrot and celery, olive oil pooled on the surfaceFasoladaFasolada ΦασολάδαSoups · 1h 45m · serves 6Thin slices of veal in a pale garlic and parsley sauce with rice alongsideVeal in Garlic and Vinegar SauceSofrito ΣοφρίτοMain Courses · 1h 35m · serves 4A bowl of smooth yellow split pea puree topped with raw red onion, capers and olive oilYellow Split Pea PureeFava Santorinis Φάβα ΣαντορίνηςDips and Sauces · 1h · serves 6Slow-cooked Greek lamb kleftiko falling off the bone with potatoes and lemonKleftikoKleftiko ΚλέφτικοMain Courses · 4h 25m · serves 6Charred grilled octopus tentacles dressed with olive oil, vinegar and oreganoGrilled OctopusHtapodi sta karvouna Χταπόδι στα κάρβουναMeze and Appetisers · 1h 30m · serves 4A pot of Greek beef stifado with whole small onions in a dark cinnamon-spiced sauceStifadoStifado ΣτιφάδοMain Courses · 3h · serves 6A bowl of thick Greek lentil soup with olive oil and a small jug of vinegarLentil Soup with VinegarFakes ΦακέςSoups · 1h 7m · serves 6Cypriot afelia pork in a dark red wine and coriander seed sauceCypriot Pork in Red Wine and CorianderAfelia ΑφέλιαMain Courses · 1h 30m · serves 4Cypriot black-eyed bean and chard salad dressed with olive oil and lemonCypriot Black-Eyed Bean Salad with ChardLouvi ΛούβιSide Dishes · 55m · serves 4Cypriot Clay-Pot Lamb and RiceTavas ΤαβάςMain Courses · 2h 55m · serves 6Cypriot Pickled Cauliflower and TurnipMoungra ΜούντραDips and Sauces · 30m · serves 10A tray of Cypriot baked macaroni with a golden halloumi toppingCypriot Baked MacaroniMakaronia tou fournou Μακαρόνια του φούρνουMain Courses · 1h 35m · serves 8A plate of Corfu pastitsada, beef in spiced tomato sauce over pastaCorfu Beef and Pasta in Spiced Tomato SaucePastitsada ΠαστιτσάδαMain Courses · 3h · serves 6Greek giouvetsi baked beef and orzo in a clay dishGiouvetsiGiouvetsi ΓιουβέτσιMain Courses · 2h 55m · serves 6A bowl of Greek magiritsa Easter soup with fresh dillEaster Offal and Herb SoupMagiritsa ΜαγειρίτσαSoups · 2h 30m · serves 8Sifnos Sunday Chickpea BakeRevithada ΡεβιθάδαMain Courses · 8h 15m · serves 6Cretan Wedding PilafGamopilafo ΓαμοπίλαφοMain Courses · 2h 20m · serves 8Sliced noumboulo, Corfu's smoked cured pork filletCorfu Smoked Cured Pork FilletNoumboulo ΝουμπούλοMeze and Appetisers · 30m · serves 10Northern Greek kavourmas preserved pork in a jar under its own fatNorthern Greek Preserved Confit PorkKavourmas ΚαβουρμάςMain Courses · 2h 50m · serves 8Mani syglino cured and smoked pork with orange peel and fennelMani Cured and Smoked PorkSyglino Maniatiko Σύγκλινο ΜανιάτικοMain Courses · 2h · serves 8Greek soutzoukakia oval meatballs in a rich tomato sauceSmyrna-Style Cumin Meatballs in Tomato SauceSoutzoukakia ΣουτζουκάκιαMain Courses · 1h 10m · serves 6Cycladic Octopus Braised in WineHtapodi krasato Χταπόδι κρασάτοMain Courses · 1h 35m · serves 4Greek papoutsakia stuffed aubergine boats topped with golden bechamelStuffed Aubergine "Little Shoes"Papoutsakia ΠαπουτσάκιαMain Courses · 1h 30m · serves 6A pot of Greek fakorizo lentils and riceLentils and RiceFakorizo ΦακόρυζοMain Courses · 50m · serves 4A bowl of Greek fasolia salata white bean salad with red onion and parsleyWhite Bean SaladFasolia salata Φασόλια σαλάταSalads · 1h 15m · serves 6A pot of basic Greek tomato sauce, saltsa domatasBasic Greek Tomato SauceSaltsa domatas Σάλτσα ντομάταςDips and Sauces · 40m · serves 6Northern Greek Cod with LeeksBakaliaros me prasa Μπακαλιάρος με πράσαMain Courses · 1h 15m · serves 4A pot of Greek arni kokkinisto lamb braised in red tomato sauceLamb Braised in TomatoArni kokkinisto Αρνί κοκκινιστόMain Courses · 2h 5m · serves 6Cuttlefish Braised in WineSoupies krasates Σουπιές κρασάτεςMain Courses · 1h 25m · serves 4Cretan Rabbit Stew with OnionsKouneli stifado Κουνέλι στιφάδοMain Courses · 2h · serves 6Plain Chickpea SoupRevithosoupa ΡεβιθόσουπαSoups · 1h 45m · serves 6Pickled AubergineMelitzanes toursi Μελιτζάνες τουρσίDips and Sauces · 45m · serves 12Celery Soup with Egg and LemonSoupa selino avgolemono Σούπα σέλινο αυγολέμονοSoups · 1h 55m · serves 6

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