The Illustrious World of Saffron

Considered the most precious and unique spice in the world, saffron carries with it an illustrious reputation that takes it from a mainstay in refined cuisine and traces back to ancient times. Saffron comes from the stigma of the flower Crocus Sativus, and is primarily produced in Spain, Kashmir, and Iran; their climates being conducive to crocus growth with extremely hot and dry summers and cold winters. Considering that a one ounce jar of saffron threads can set you back forty to sixty bucks, extracting saffron from the crocus flower is extremely labor intensive. Each of the bulbs are sowed by hand in late June, early July, exactly 10cm apart from one another, and then in late October each flower handpicked. They are then brought in, and the stigma, or female piece, is extracted from the flower—once again, all by hand. It takes around 85,000 flowers, each yielding three stigmas, making 400,000 total stigmas to yield just one pound of saffron.

THE HISTORY OF SAFFRON
Saffron is said to have been initially cultivated in Asia, and was first documented in Ancient Babylon and China, dating all the way back to 2600 BC. Saffron wasn’t always used as a gastronomic delicacy, the Phoenicians and the Syrians used it for medicinal purposes, the Egyptians as an aphrodisiac and in sacred ablutions, the Arabs as an anesthetic, and Homer, Ovid, and Hypocrites all noted its pharmaceutical and perfumery applications. The Greeks even have a myth about the existence of the plant. It all began when a man named Crocus fell for a beautiful woman named Smilax, and after being rejected the story goes that he was so sad that he was turned into the crocus flower. Saffron was eventually carried around the world during the spice trade boom. The Arabs brought it to Spain, who adapted it to the point were it became synonymous with Spanish cuisine, it had made its appearance in desserts and breads by Medieval times, and Venice became a hub for saffron trade during the Renaissance. Saffron is so important in Spain that there is a harvest festival for it in late October in a little village in La Mancha, one of the primary production areas for saffron in the country. Children and adults have contests to see who can pluck the most stigmas out of crocus flowers the fastest, a saffron queen is named, and a paella pan over seven meters wide is used to make enough paella for upwards of fifteen hundred people.

BUYERS BEWARE!
Seeing as saffron is so decidedly expensive, make sure that you are buying the real thing! Saffron should only contain the stigmas from the flower, which are a deep and illuminating vermillion color. You can tell that the stamens have been added to the mix to bump up the weight when you see yellowish looking threads or even turmeric cut into it.

It is clear that this distinguished and celebrated spice carries with it a history and a permanence that is precious in cultures all over the world. With more and more people becoming educated on the spice, saffron is growing in popularity in kitchens from the home to the restaurant all around the world. Saffron can be stored from 3 to 6 months, but can last up to three years, although the intensity in flavor weakens as it ages. It is always best to buy it whole, but can also be found ground, and should be stored in a cool dry place and kept in a tight tin or jar.

COOKING WITH SAFFRON **IMPORTANT! A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY!!**
The beauty of saffron coming in such small amounts is that you really don’t need that much for it to be a prominent role in your dish. Threads can be soaked in a liquid like broth, water, or wine, by crushing the threads with your fingers (if you want to be technical you can do it with a mortar and pestle), add the saffron to the liquid and soak from 5 to 20 minutes depending on the desired intensity. So, if your recipe calls for a liquid that you want flavored with saffron—this is a great way to create a new twist on an old recipe!

You can also toast the threads in a medium-hot cast iron skillet, making sure not to burn them, and then grind the threads into a powder to be used as the recipes intends. If you are making a soup or salad dressing, where the saffron will be immersed for a long period of time in liquid you sometimes crumble the threads and add it ‘raw’.

When determining how much saffron to use in cooking, remember that the saffron flavor will be stronger the second day. In general, just use a pinch in soups and stews that serve 4 to 6 people. Saffron is especially good when used in cooking seafood dishes such as bouillabaisse and paella. It is also used in risotto and other rice dishes. Try adding some to your next beef stew or tomato-based sauce, or make a wonderful marinade for fish, by adding saffron threads, garlic, and thyme to vinegar. Saffron is also used in bread and cake cooking. Use your imagination and be creative when using saffron in your cooking!

Here are some recipes to help get you started!

CHICKEN BROTH WITH SAFFRON AND PARMESAN SPINACH MATZO BALLS
Makes 8 Servings

Saffron chicken broth
6 pounds chicken wings
16 cups water
1 1/2 pounds onions, quartered
6 bay leaves
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Spinach matzo balls
4 large eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup unsalted matzo meal
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 tomato, deseeded, finely diced

For saffron chicken broth:
Bring all ingredients to boil in very large pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain broth into another pot. Spoon 1/4 cup fat from top of broth and place in medium bowl; add 1/4 cup broth. Cool fat mixture and reserve for matzo balls. Remove enough meat from chicken wings to measure 1 generous cup. Finely mince chicken; reserve for matzo balls. Chill remaining broth until ready to use. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

For matzo balls:
Whisk eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper into chicken fat mixture. Mix in matzo meal, then spinach and reserved minced chicken. Cover and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Bring large pot of generously salted water to boil. Using wet hands and about 2 tablespoons for each, shape matzo mixture into 16 balls; drop into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer matzo balls to 13x9x2-inch dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead; chill.)

Skim any fat from top of broth; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked matzo balls; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Ladle broth and 2 matzo balls into each bowl, topped with a sprinkle of diced tomatoes, and serve.

SEAFOOD RISOTTO
Makes 6 Servings

5 cups water
16 fluid ounces bottled clam juice
1 (6.5 ounce) can chopped clams, drained with juices reserved
1/4 cup butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon dried basil
8 ounces cooked salmon
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Place water, bottled clam juice, and reserved juice from canned clams into a medium saucepan. Set over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

In a large pot or deep skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in rice, and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let rice brown. Pour in wine, and cook, stirring, until the wine is evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of simmering broth, and stir until the broth is almost all evaporated. Then add another 1/2 cup of broth. Stir in saffron and basil. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring until the liquid has evaporated until the rice is almost al dente, about 20 minutes.

When the inside of the rice is slightly more firm than you desire in the final dish, stir in clams, flaked salmon, and 1/2 cup broth. Stir until the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup broth, and stir vigorously. Remove from heat before the liquid has completely evaporated.