Mad about Saffron

  

Photo: Ethem Mulazimoglu

Saffron‘s colourful reputation has enthralled people for centuries. Wars were fought over it, unscrupulous traders burnt for adulterating it, Cleopatra’s lips gleamed with it. It is the vibrant buttercup in old Persian carpets and illuminated medieval manuscripts.

The spice is made from the dried stigmas of the autumn-flowering saffron crocus Crocus sativus. Each purple-blue flower bears three fine thread-like orange stigmas, which must be harvested individually by hand. The high cost of production, coupled with the fact that around 75,000 flowers are needed to obtain 500g of dried saffron, makes it the world’s most precious and expensive spice. Fortunately, a little goes a long way in cooking.

“The cook who is mean with his saffron is capable of seducing his grandmother,” wrote Norman Douglas in Venus in the Kitchen. On the other hand, over-generosity gives an unpalatable bitterness. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal warns that too much has caused “immoderate, convulsive laughter which ended in death”.

Only when good saffron is used well is it possible to fully appreciate its warm, pungent, earthy and slightly bitter taste. Traditionally it is used in paella, bouillabaisse, pilafs and risottos but it also teams well with vegetables, meats and fruit, particularly pears. Usually the threads are steeped in liquid to release their colour and flavour before being added to a dish. Powdered saffron can be added directly to a dish.
When buying saffron, always select a reputable brand as the spice is easily adulterated with fillers such as safflowers, crocus stamens and, in the powdered form, turmeric. Locally, some good-quality saffron is produced by growers in Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury and Central Otago.

Stored in an airtight container away from heat, light and humidity, saffron should last for up to two years.

 

Click here for saffron recipes from NZ House & Garden magazine.

Click here for the saffron icecream recipe from Saffron Restaurant Arrowtown, featured on the programme.