Saffron

Saffron is the dried red stigmas of the saffron crocus. Each flower has only three, and they are picked by hand, which is why saffron costs so much by weight. It gives food a golden yellow color and a taste that is honeyed, floral and slightly bitter, with a hay-like smell. A pinch flavors a whole dish.

How to use it

Saffron needs liquid to release its color and flavor. There are two common ways.

1. Steep it. Bloom a pinch of threads in 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm water, milk or stock for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the liquid and the threads to the dish.
2. Grind it. Crush the threads in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of sugar or salt to make a powder, then dissolve it in a little warm liquid. This gives more color from less saffron.

A pinch of 15 to 20 threads, or about 0.03 to 0.05 g, is enough for a dish that serves four. In baking, recipes use more.

Substitutes

Nothing tastes like saffron. For color only, use a pinch of turmeric, but the flavor is earthier. Safflower, sometimes sold as "Mexican saffron", gives color and almost no taste.

How to store it

Keep it in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Light and air fade it. Threads stay good for a year or two. Powder fades faster.

Common mistakes

• Using too much. It turns bitter and medicinal.
• Adding dry threads to a dish. You get red specks and little flavor.
• Buying cheap saffron. Fakes are common. Real threads are deep red, shaped like small trumpets, and color warm water slowly. If the water turns yellow instantly or the threads lose their color, it is likely fake.

In recipes

Saffron is essential in Spanish paella, Milanese risotto, French bouillabaisse and Persian rice. In Sweden, saffran goes into lussekatter, the S-shaped saffron buns eaten around Saint Lucia's Day on 13 December, and into saffron cake for fika. Swedish packets usually hold 0.5 g, which is the amount a typical bun recipe means by "1 packet". Grind it with a little sugar and melt it into the warm butter or milk.