Since the time of early Egypt, saffron has been the spice of pharaohs, maharajas and kings. The stigma of the purple crocus, saffron is a staple in the higher cuisines of Egypt, Morocco, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey.
Its price is often compared to gold’s, although after years of inflation, gold is winning–$350 an ounce versus $55 to $100 an ounce for saffron.
Don’t panic. You won’t have to spend nearly that much to enjoy the exotic taste of saffron and the brilliant yellow color it gives dishes.
Still, why should this spice cost $100 an ounce? Because the tiny red threads of saffron must be handpicked from the center of the crocus flower. Using fine tweezers, a harvester pulls three red stigma threads from each flower, leaving behind the yellow stamens, which have no taste.
To produce 1 ounce of saffron, you must pick the stigmas from 4,000 crocuses. To produce a pound, you would have to harvest an acre of the flowers.
By this time, you might be thinking: Hey, I’d rather buy this stuff in a store. But at $100 an ounce?
It’s not really fair to compare saffron’s price to gold. To enjoy gold, you need quite a bit. But saffron infuses its flavor into recipes in very small amounts. A 50-cent pinch makes four servings of classic saffron rice. Two dollars’ worth and you can eat like a Spanish prince–with a big pot of saffron chicken or a glamorous pan of paella.
Paella, bouillabaisse and risotto are other popular saffron dishes. And around the holidays, Rafal says, many people bake traditional saffron bread.
Spanish saffron is the standard “good” variety. Indian or Kashmir saffron, grown on the border of India and Pakistan, is a bit better. Iran and Iraq also sell a high-quality saffron, but it’s embargoed in the United States.
Rafal warns against buying products called “American saffron”–which is really safflower. “You get the color but not the flavor,” he says. The product called “Mexican saffron” is also not real saffron, he says.
Your grocery store may have saffron, probably packaged in half-gram jars for about $10, but sometimes it’s stashed in the office to thwart thieves; ask if you don’t see it.
The Penzey’s Ltd. spice company of Waukesha, Wis., sells Spanish and Kashmir saffron through its mail-order catalog. The Kashmir version is harvested more carefully, so it’s all red, not diluted by yellow strands, says Pam Penzey, and the flavor is a bit more intense. Penzey’s sells Kashmir saffron for $7.95 a gram or $41.95 for a quarter-ounce. Spanish saffron is $5.95 a gram or $31.95 for a quarter-ounce.
To release the flavor from the dried stigma, or threads, crush them a little before adding them to a recipe. If your recipe includes water, boil a little of it and pour it over the saffron, allowing it to steep 15 minutes to an hour.
What does saffron taste like? Although its Eastern origins suggest a spicy flavor, it’s more mellow and pungent than zingy.
SAFFRON SCONES
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12-15 minutes
Yield: 16 scones
Adapted from “Savoring Spices and Herbs,” by Julie Sahni.
1/2 teaspoon lightly packed saffron threads
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 cups plus 2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Crush saffron into medium bowl. Whisk in buttermilk and eggs until well-blended; set aside.
2. Combine 2 cups of the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces. Cut the butter pieces into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in currants. Pour milk mixture over flour and stir into a soft dough; mixture will be moist and sticky. (At this point, dough may be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to three months; return to room temperature before rolling out.)
3. Sprinkle remaining 2 to 4 tablespoons flour over work surface. Place dough on floured surface and roll into an 8-inch square, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut square into four, 4-inch squares, using floured knife. Cut each square into 4 triangles. Place 16 triangles on baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Brush lightly with melted and cooled butter. Bake until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes.
Note: Scones may be stored at room temperature up to 2 weeks in an airtight container or frozen up to 3 months.
Nutrition information per scone:
Calories ……. 170 Fat …………. 8 g Cholesterol .. 60 mg
Sodium …… 265 mg Carbohydrates .. 21 g Protein …….. 3 g
SAFFRON STRATA
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50-60 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
From Penzey’s Ltd. spice company
1 tablespoon warm water
1/4 teaspoon each: saffron threads, butter
8 breakfast sausage links, cooked, cut into 1/4-inch slices
6 slices toasted white bread, cubed
1 to 2 medium shallots, minced
3 cups milk
6 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly grated nutmeg
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place water and saffron threads in small bowl. Butter 2-quart baking dish. Place sausage, bread and shallots in prepared dish; toss to combine.
2. Beat milk and eggs in medium bowl until combined and frothy. Add saffron-water mixture and salt; stir. Pour mixture over sausage and bread in baking dish. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg.
3. Bake until mixture has set, about 50 to 60 minutes. The strata will have risen above top of dish and be springy to the touch when done.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 220 Fat ………… 14 g Cholesterol .. 135 mg
Sodium …… 600 mg Carbohydrates .. 10 g Protein …….. 13 g
CLASSIC SAFFRON RICE
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 18 minutes
Yield: 6 half-cup servings
Serve this as a side dish with stir-fried dishes, Spanish dishes or baked chicken. From Penzey’s Ltd. spice company.
1 tablespoon each: butter, finely minced onion
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspooon saffron, crumbled
1. Melt butter in heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add water or broth, rice, salt and saffron. Increase heat; heat to a rolling boil.
2. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low; cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 140 Fat …………. 3 g Cholesterol .. 5 mg
Sodium …… 235 mg Carbohydrates .. 25 g Protein ……. 3 g
SHOPPING FOR SAFFRON
These buying tips can help you choose the best saffron for your money. Look for saffron in some supermarkets, gourmet food shops or spice stores.
– Pure saffron is made up of tiny, bright-red threads. Yellow strands may be included, but they have no flavor. The redder the saffron, the higher the quality.
– The tips of the threads should be a slightly lighter orange-red. This shows it’s not cheap saffron tinted red to look expensive.
– Powdered saffron is sometimes sold in small vials for about $2. Try it if you like, but the powdered form may contain turmeric, used to stretch the saffron.
