By Katy Wilkens, MS, RD

One of the least-used fresh herbs is bay. Several years ago I planted a bay tree in my garden, and I have been rewarded with more fresh bay leaves than anyone could use.

Every December I prune the tree back. (Bay trees can get really big; I keep mine trimmed topiary-style at about 10 feet.) I make holiday wreaths from the cuttings for family and friends. I tie in some dried garlic, dried red chili peppers and several boughs of rosemary (another herb that can grow to dramatic proportions if left on its own). I pass wreaths out to everyone who stops by, along with a page of recipes on ways to use fresh bay leaves in cooking.

Bay is probably most well-known as an ingredient in soups and stews. Tie the leaves into a small cloth bag or use a metal tea ball to add them to dishes that will simmer a long time. Count how many leaves you put in, and be sure you remove them all. The wide, flat leaves can be swallowed accidentally and cause choking.

Bay is a great addition to tomato sauce, and it pairs well with oregano and rosemary. For a great salad dressing, use bay to season olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Add bay instead of mint to lamb dishes, the way cooks do in the Mediterranean.

Fresh leaves off my tree have a very intense flavor. If you buy them in the grocery store, the flavor will have mellowed a bit. Crinkle leaves in your hand before you add them to foods.

Since I have access to evergreen bay leaves year-round, I use bay in unlikely places.

Bay is a soothing herb. If you plant a bay tree, you will have enough leaves to use in your bath water or to soak in hand lotion. You can make a hair rinse to fight dandruff by soaking bay leaves in water.

Bay makes a pungent herb-flavored sorbet that can start or end a spring meal. Serve it with a nice cheese, a fresh pear and a handful of hazelnuts.

Hand-stirred bay sorbet

1 cup of bay leaves

4 cups water

1 cup pureed pears

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon or orange peel

1 cup sugar

Drop of green food coloring if needed

Crush bay leaves and add to water. Let infuse several hours, up to one day. Remove leaves. Puree pears in food processor with lemon juice and peel. Add sugar and bay-infused water. Stir in a drop of green food coloring if desired. Put in freezer ice tray covered with foil. While still slushy, stir or beat from front to back to reduce the size of ice crystals. Beat every half hour for one to two hours; remove about 20 minutes before serving.

Nutritional information:
Calories: 204, Protein: 1 gram, Carbohydrates: 52 grams, Sodium: 8 milligrams

The recipes in this column are meant for people who want to keep their kidneys healthy and blood pressure down by following a low-sodium diet. In most cases, except for dialysis patients, a diet high in potassium is thought to help lower high blood pressure. These recipes are not intended for people on dialysis without the supervision of a registered dietitian.

Katy G. Wilkens is a registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. She has a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington. See more of her recipes at www.nwkidney.org.

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