Have you tried these leaves in your cooking?

We use the leaves of many different plants in cooking on a daily basis, mostly herbs like parsley, basil, and mint. But there are larger leaves from trees, grasses, and flowering plants that are useful in the kitchen says Saveur Magazine, which provides a list of 10 flavor-packed leaves you can use in your cooking. 

More than just a garnish, leaves serve as wrappers for fillings, act as thickening agents, and provide texture and flavor. Most of us are probably familiar with a couple of leaves on the list like grape and banana leaves, which are often used to wrap items like dolmas and tamales. Some leaves are a bit more obscure. The sassafras leaf, for instance, is the main ingredient in filé  powder, an essential thickening agent in gumbo. 

Moving even farther afield, hoja santa leaves – native to Central and South America – add flavors of licorice, sassafras, and tarragon to Mexican dishes such as Oaxacan  mole verde and the soothing hominy soup, pozole. Lilypad-shaped nasturtium leaves add crunch and peppery flavor to salads, and teardrop-shaped perilla (aka shiso) leaves find a home in Korean and Japanese cooking. 

Photo of Dolmades or dolmas from  EAT at The New York Times  by Mark Bittman