Bay Leaf

Bay Leaf  To   Lemon Balm

Nothing like to come home smelling mum's cooking or baking,  the fragrant of bay leaves and herbs lingering in her kitchen while she is cooking a stew. Home sweet home, I am sure most of us have that memory, the love of your mother's cooking that lives in you. 


Standard Bay Tree

I use the bay leaves for cooking the stock, stews, meat loaves, baking and poaching fruits.  It has strong fragrance and flavours, use it sparingly.  The standard bay leaf tree in my garden is doing OK, I  pick some fresh leave from it for cooking.

Dried Bay Leaves

I  got a lot of fresh bay leaves from friends; Roland and Joan also  Ann and Max, who has a large bay leaf tree in their garden.  I dried the leaves, and I ground some of them to make bay leaf powder.

Bay leaf is a very essential herb for cooking  European dishes, from meat, savouries to desserts.  I am glad that I have more than enough.

Enjoy spring in the garden.  Eating an avocado salad with fresh greens, a herb and a pot of tea with lemon balm, very soothing.  This special avocado salad with lemon balm the herb is so healthy, it is food for everyone, serve it with bread, and have that refreshing tea.

Lemon Balm

Slow roasted chicken flavoured with lemon balm, lemon juice and garlic is delicious.  You don't need gravy to serve, and you don't miss it, instead prepare herb yoghurt to go with it.  Lemon balm is perfect for flavouring fresh water to drink.  Put some sprigs of lemon balm in a jug of water, a slice of lemon,  that is another way using the lemon balm.

Lemon Balm Tea

Avocado Salad For Lunch

2 avocado, peeled and diced

Lemon juice

120 g grated cheese

1 tablespoon chopped lemon balms

Mix greens: Cos lettuce, sorrels, endive

Juice of 1/2 of lime

The Salad

In a bowl place the avocado, add a dash of lemon juice

Add in the cheese, lemon balms and the mixed green,  squeezed the lime juice over

Mix all together but gently,  scoop the salad into the individual avocado bowl to serve

Serves 4

Microwave cooking

Creamy Potato With Bay Leaf

Two large potatoes, peeled and sliced (the same thickness)

Place on a buttered dish, put them slightly overlapping add 1 bay leaf

Add 1/3 cup milk, a dash of oil, cover the bowl with plastic, (make little holes on the plastic)*

Cook in a microwave for 5 minutes (adjust with your microwave)

Take it out, uncover.  At this stage, the potato is almost cooked, and the liquid is absorbed

Drizzle with 2 tablespoons cream, put it back to the microwave and cook for 2 minutes

Take it out, sprinkle with a ground bay leaf to serve

*for steams to escape so the liquid doesn't' overflow.

Enjoy the recipes: avocado salad with lemon balm, creamy potato with bay leaf flavour.
I hope you give it ago.  Happy cooking!

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Until Next Post
Susy

The Top of a Standard Bay Leaf Tree

Lemon Balm