My dear friends, I have a nice little gift for you.
::tap dancing with excitement!!::
A few weeks ago, I ordered my yearly supply of Saffron from my fav supplier. I wrote to them, asking if they be willing to donate some saffron for a contest that I wanted to hold – and they generously said, “YES!”
I’m not talking about a few wispy threads in a teeny tiny jar the size of my thumb. I’m talking about a mountain of saffron so big that you’ll giggle and squeal with delight.
Just so you know, I’m NOT getting paid to promote their stuff – I contacted them with the idea of a random drawing.
Let’s talk about saffron for just a bit. If you aren’t familiar with how saffron is graded or how to judge good saffron from the crappy stuff – here’s a little lesson.
What is the stuff and why is it so *(&#!!&*$%% expensive?
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Saffron is known as the world’s most expensive spice. It is the stigma from a Crocus flower. Each flower produces 3 saffron threads, which must be harvested delicately by hand and dried. Itakes over 13,000 threads to make one ounce!!!
My photo above is one ounce of saffron. <–photo from Wiki |
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Crocus Sex 101
The top part of the stigma (above the dotted line) is the “saffron” – this is the only part of the thread that has flavor and intense color. These are the goods. |
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The bottom part (below the dotted line) is the shitty stuff, called the style. It has virtually no culinary value – being aromaless, tasteless and gives no color to your dish.
Some evil saffron sellers will try to package the entire thread as “saffron.” Bastards. |
So, to judge quality of saffron, you can just simply look at the color of the threads and see if you have a lot of the shitty style part attached. Of all places that I get my saffron, the most consistent quality + best prices have been with Saffron.com, which is based in San Francisco. (hey, you San Franciscan’s out there – give me your input on this company…have you purchased from them before and do you know anything about the company?)
To use saffron, you first soak a pinch of threads in a couple tablespoons of warm water to release its flavors, color and aroma. When the recipe calls for the saffron to be added, just add the threads + water to the dish.
To enter, comment below!
Shucks. All the Mr. Linky links are gone. I wanted to find the Swedish saffron bread Hanne posted about.
Saffron are soooo expensive that I don’t cook much with them. I hope I got selected from this recipe called “Potato Saffron Omelet.”
My frist time viewing your webiste and boy I sure do love your recipe and your blog!
Posting winner……
after the commercial break
(i.e. dinner)
*anticipation builds*
Now, is that 4:00 what time zone? 🙂
Saffron Rice is my favourite saffron dish. One, it easy; two, it goes well with any vegetable without overpowering the palette. Saffron rice is my choice :).
http://tastypalettes.blogspot.com/2007/10/saffron-rice-and-punjabi-okra.html
Oops…when I left my comment earlier I forgot to say I’d like to be added to the contest.
Almost missed this. I want to be entered in the contest so I can make Lamb Curry w/ Bananas and Saffron
I found your site in Wednesday’s St. Petersburg Times “The Dish” . I haven’t been able to stop reading it….and can’t wait to try the recipes.
I linked to a soup recipe that is supposed to have saffron in it, but the one time I’ve made it, I had no saffron (and also was not exactly a foodblogger yet, hence the lack of photos). Now I have a teeny tiny bottle of saffron which I have used exactly once to make risotto milanese for osso buco. It’s so expensive that I have been afraid to use it for anything else, even though I’d like to. Save me from becoming a saffron-hoarding miser, please!
Oh please add me to the contest…how I love saffron. And excellent tip about saffron.com…even if I don’t win, I’ll definitely have to buy their stuff. Woot!
Alright. Mine’s been added. Sorry for screwing up the directions. I suppose you could just refer to mine as Basmati rice with almonds and saffron. But, I tend to call it “Dan.” hahaha…
My family just adores this Hainan Chicken dish. So I figured this dish couldn’t be that hard to dulplicate at home.This is comfort food for my 3 growing boys (my 43 year old husband, 17 and 15 year old sons…hahaha). It’s simple but tastes sublime with the added saffron in the rice.
For 4 generous servings:
4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
6-8 cups of rich chicken stock
3 inch knob of ginger, squashed with back of cleaver
half a bunch of green onion, cut in half
Put stock in big pot and add the green onion and the squashed ginger. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and turn off the heat. Cover pot and let the chicken cool in the broth ( i cook this in the morning so it’ll be ready by supper time).
For the rice:
4 cups of jasmine scented rice, washed
2 large pinches of saffron steeped in a little broth
2 tablespoons of ginger-onion sauce (recipe below)
enough broth to cover rice (I use the method my mom taught me…liquid should come up to the FIRST LINE of the MIDDLE FINGER!). Put everything in rice cooker.
Dipping sauces:
1 big bunch green onion, chopped
3 inch big knob ginger, finely minced
1 cup of oil
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil to SMOKING HOT!. Place ginger and onion in bowl. Slowly pour the hot oil over the onion mixture. DO THIS IN THE SINK just in case it splatters.
Chili dip
2 tablespoons of garlic chili sauce (bought from Asian markets)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
sugar to taste
5-spice dip:
1/2 tsp. 5-spice powder
1 tsp. salt
pinch white pepper
1 tablespoon oil from the ginger-onion sauce
When everything is ready, put the rice in a medium size individual bowls, top with sliced ginger chicken brushed with a thin film of sesame oil. Put the dipping sauces in really small saucers for each person.
I am getting hungry…better start making this for supper tonight!
Yes, I can follow directions, lol.
I made the noodle crack yesterday; woo hoo was that everything you promised it would be and more!
Love the blog.
Wow, I just found you this week. This is an amazing website. I have a German girlfriend who’d love to share some saffron with me. She says it’s very expensive there. We’ve sent some to her mom (who still live in Germany). Thanks for the chance 🙂
This is my all time favorite Saffron recipe
Veal Scaloppini with Saffron
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_30487,00.html
You can also substitute chicken for the veal if you have baby cow issues.
P.S. I love your site, I only came out of lurking because the call of free saffron was too great, but I do love your site.
What a great idea for a contest! I often just put a half teaspoon of saffron in a small bowl of hot water, let it steep for a couple of moments, and throw the whole thing into a pot of rice. I’ll add shiitake mushrooms from time to time if I want another flavor dimension.
Hi Jaden, Saffron’s really one of the best spices used in food preperation ! And nice idea for a collection of best saffron dishes 🙂 Hats off 🙂 Well, i’ve just entered the recipe i like the most just now. See ya cooking princess 🙂
Love the idea of this contest. Can’t wait to look through what others have suggested.
My favorite recipe with safron (at the moment) is Gabanzos con Espinacas. The most wonderful dish of chickpeas with a savory (and slightly sweet) broth with safron and spinach. Not what I think of as a “classic” use of saffron but just wonderful. I friend found the recipe after we received an over abundant supply of spinach from our CSA. Now I go out seeking spinach to have an excuse to make it. The second time I also added a pinch of mild Pimenton de la Vera, a smoked paprika, which made the broth even better.
Several people submitted my favorite saffron dishes, so I thought I would submit from the Top Chef Season 2 contest. Fideos with Clams and Saffron. Looks super yummy! Good quality saffron is the only way to get the flavor and looks for a truly “Top Chef” dish.
There is a special place in my heart for fish soup, thus the orange saffron seafood stew, which you notice is tailor made for a lazy person who just happens to have some delicious shrimp (er, “prawns”) and saffron on hand, which is why I luurrrve it. Thought I also like to add a bit of heat … it gives you an excuse to chow down on extra bread.
Do we suppose to enter our name or the name of the dish ? 😀 I put my name . If that way was wrong , sorry . 🙂
Panna cotta is something that (most of) everyone loves and with a twist of saffron , I think it would be “erotically” delicious . However, I couldn’t put my hands on this expensive spice , so I used saigon cinnamon & rum instead and my family loved it . 🙂
http://cookalmostanything.blogspot.com/2006/05/spice-is-right-2-sweet-or-savoury.html
I’m just mad about saffron, but no one actually calls me Mellow Yellow.
Saffron Mayonnaise is so goood!! so simple, so easy and you can basically eat it w/anything (bread, potatoes, chicken shawarma…yah, and it was surprisingly goood :))
I want to be entered in the contest! I love this souffle recipe, crab meat, cheese, saffron, WHAT CAN BE BETTER?!
Gnocchi Sardi with Asparagus and Saffron
I saw this recipe on another site and would love to try it if I had some saffron. This is a great idea. Thanks for thinking of it.
I’m sorry, Mrs Steamy, pretty puh-lease. Methinks I got your instructions mixed up and instead of the name of the dish ‘Easy Paella’, my blogname appeared next to the number. And it’s not my URL; it’s where I found a nice recipe using saffron that I’d love to cook. Oh, dear.
Love – your site and recipies. They’re easy, tasty and beautiful! Please enter me and pick me as I love saffron and cook with it often.
I had scallops in saffron sauce at this Peruvian restaurant in Delaware. Thanks for reminding me I wanted to find a recipe. I don’t know how close this one comes, but seems similar.
A lot of good recipes. I entered 91.
I love saffron. It was hard to pick a favorite.
oops! I entered my name instead of the dish. 🙁 Dumb dumb dumb
Just tried out this Moghlai Murgh recipe the other day and it was so delicious – can smell and taste the saffron flavour.
Me me me … I would love to do more cooking with saffron.
Enjoy the Moroccan Spiced Red Lentil Soup, if you make it….
Hi Jaden!
Miss Mary here. No, you don’t know me. 🙂
I put the name of the dish (which is just HEAVENLY delicious) under the name section – cause I *think* that is what you want?
Anyways …. love your recipes …. and come here for those and because you make me ROFLMAO!!!
PS – I love saffron ….. keeping my chives crossed.
my wife loves when I make this english saffron bread. I’ve tried several recipes but like this one best.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/English-Saffron-Bread/Detail.aspx
Jaden, I just stumbled across your website on a search for rambutan, which showed up in the grocery store the other day. Absolutely fantastic site!
I do hope I win, so I’ll finally have no excuse not to try my hand again at St. Lucia buns!
So sorry…I forgot to paste the recipe or the link of the Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding…(was in so much of a hurry …my family beckons…) Instead of the bread, I use cubed croissants …then I add about 1 1/2 tsp. of saffron threads which I steep in a little warm milk. This is the season for chanterelles and boletes and other wild mushrooms. If you have access to them, please use them for it makes a whole world of difference esp. the KING BOLETE. I think this is the one they call porcini…Then when you bring the baked pudding to the table, take a bow and be prepared for the …”ooohhhs and the wwhhooaassss and aaahhhhhhsssss!”
wild-mushroom bread pudding
Bon App�tit | December 1997
recipe reviews (50) my notes Servings: Serves 6 as a side dish.
subscribe to Bon App�tit
Ingredients3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thickly sliced
6 ounces oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced
6 ounces crimini mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, caps thickly sliced
4 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
5 large eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
6 cups 1-inch cubes crustless day-old French bread (about 6 ounces)
PreparationPreheat oven to 350�F. Lightly butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add all mushrooms, garlic, basil, parsley, sage and thyme and saut� until mushrooms are tender and brown, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
Whisk eggs, cream, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add bread cubes; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture. Transfer to prepared dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over. Bake until pudding is brown and puffed, and set in center, about 1 hour. Serve warm.
I love your site! I found it through Guilty Carnivore, another awesome site that has something sassy to say and something tasty to suggest.
This artichoke-crab dish is amazing, a little pricey but worth it. If you do the hearts (what they call ‘crowns’) ahead of time and keep them in lemon water, and buy the crab cleaned (I like dungeness and it’s easier to get than blue lump in PDX), you’re looking at a sper-impressive and very fast treat.
Here’s another treasured recipe that I would like to share with my FELLIOW SAFFRON-LOVING COOKS….Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner…so it’s time once again to bring out the croissants in the freezer that I have been saving for this dish. Instead of the traditional turkey stuffing, I make this SAVOURY BREAD PUDDING which always gets rave reviews and am always asked for the recipe! I am soooo fortunate to have good friends that I trade stuff (like my famous home smoked Indian Candy-smoked salmon strips for my friend’s wild mushrooms she picked herself like KING BOLETE, lobster mushrooms, etc.)…The slight variations I made to this dish includes the SOOOOO EXPENSIVE SAFFRON and the croissants…that’s why I only make it once a year!!! It is also good eaten cold the next day if you have any leftovers (which I doubt very much…it usually is the first to disappear!)
Never one to resist a lottery so voil� ich bin!
Seafood Paella! I love making paella, and Penelope Casas’s recipes work very well.
Well, I tried to leave the link to my Sweet Saffron Pilaf and it didn’t work. Am I disqualified?? I hope not, oh wondrous Princess Jaden of the Blogosphere. Your awe inspiring dishes evoke priceless and exquisite longing in my culinary heart. I write an Ode to your cooking endlessly……
Nawwwwwwwwwwww
😉
Kate (in the Kitchen)
Oh, Princess Jaden…sorry, forgot the rest.
It’s plain and simple and delicious. Saffron Rice. Probably my favorite side dish ever. Great comfort food.
Wow, what a treasure trove of saffron recipes! I think that’s the real prize here. I’m gonna have to get cooking – good thing I have a healthy supply gathering dust in the cupbaord.
Re: Saffron.com, I can personally vouch for their vanilla beans too. Every time I’m in the U.S. I pick up a 1/2 lb or so, and they are absolutely the best I’ve ever worked with, plump, soft and oily. I slightly prefer the flavor of the Planifolias, but the Tahitians are great too.
Yo, Princess! You are awesome and inspiring. Every saffron dish I could think of and knew how to make was so quickly submitted that I decided to go on a little Googling adventure and find a new dish to test out. Herewith: Malloreddus, or Sardinian saffron pasta.
My fingers are crossed; I’m out of saffron now.
Your recipe for pho was PERFECT and my mom makes it all the time now. Were it not for my limited kitchen space and budget, I’d try a new Jaden exclusive everyday. As it is, I have to wait til Thanksgiving Break and use my parents’ facilities, but I have a list!!
Anyway, fantastic contest, fantastic site, fantastic chef.
Oh well, I can see so many entries above me! This is my first attempt at such a drawing, usually Lady luck jus does not smile at me but then just wanted to be a part of your event and to show appreciation for taking out so much effort for so many people like me.
Thanks for giving such a oppurtunity. Have a great time selecting 🙂
Thanks
Dhivya
How amazing to see so many saffron recipes. What a great idea, Jaden. Whoever wins will be so lucky.
Sometimes the simplest things turn out to be the best! Olla Gitana or Gypsy Pot Soup from Melissa’s website (traveler’s lunchbox) is just simply awesome! I do believe that not all vegetable soup recipes are the same. What makes this one different is the combination of some of the ingredients that normally one would not put in it. The saffron makes it even more luxurious and imparts a flavour that is beyond description. Please do try it and you will not be disappointed!
“Princess Jaden, you awe me with your grace, blind me with your beauty and inspire me with your angelic aura of innocence.”
Now can I have it please Princess Jaden, Please please please!!!
My favorite dish using Saffron is Paella.
I know I wasn’t the first to add Tomato Paella (Mark Bittman’s), but it really is terrific stuff! And the tomatoes are on their last summery legs now, so I’m already getting nostalgic for the dish.
I’ve never actually cooked with saffron myself 🙁 But I keep seeing recipes that include saffron and if I could win some I’m sure that would kickstart my using it! I think I’ll try the Saffron Orzo with Shrimp first.
Hi Jaden I have prepared a Risotto with apple and saffron.
Risotto is one of most famous italian dish.
Bye
I am interested in “American (Yellow) Saffron Tea.” Yellow Saffron is a lot less expensive…not that I would substitute it. I am interested in Yellow Saffron for its therapeutic benefits. 🙂
Please enter me in your wonderul drawing.
I am excited about the No-Knead bread recipe and will be trying it as soon as I get the right equipment. 🙂
god the photo is ammmmaaazzzzing jaden.
I was always wondering why saffron was so expensive…holy smokes what a horrible job to pick that stuff. Thanks for sharing how to use saffron in recipes. I see many recipes but few ways as to how to actually extract the true flavor of saffron…..Di
Princess Jaden, this is an absolutely inspired idea. One can never have enough saffron recipes.
And of course, I managed to not follow directions in step one. Disregard the David in the list, the correct recipe is the Shrimp and Crab with Tomato, Basil and Saffron.
Shellfish and cream always works for me, but the saffron really makes it distinctive. Hope you like it.
Hi,
I just discovered your flog and am putting it in my shortlist of food blogs I visit. You have great personality and pics.
Aloha.
Love Paella. Just have not done it myself yet because saffron’s so ex!
Adore you and your blog!
I would love to be entered into the contest, (pretty please) and I’ve got three recipes for ya!
While I adore saffron tea, my favorite saffron dish of all time would be hard to pick. We recently went to a big Persian wedding in LA and fell completely in love with the foods (and people). We’ve always loved Persian food at our local Chicago restaurant, but the food at the wedding rehersal dinner and after the ceremony were all homemade by the bride’s large family. Yum!
We’ve been having a great time trying to duplicate the best of the best.
First rice pudding with saffron….
http://www.recipezaar.com/103808
Next, rose water ice cream with saffron. So delicious on a hot LA summer day!
http://www.frenchgardening.com/cuisine.html?pid=32150740535438
Last but not least Fesenjan sauce. It is an incredible pomegranate and saffron delicacy that we had the pleasure of trying two different homemade versions of.
The first was a dark burgundy color that had a slightly smoky and sweeter taste (made by a maternal aunt for the wedding rehearsal dinner) and the second was even darker. Served at the wedding it looked like a big pan of alarmingly tarry goo (and we were actually wondering where the fesenjan sauce was as we went through the buffet–one of the family members was kind enough to help us navigate through the different delicacies).
The mother of the bride made it and how amazing. It was almost black in appearance, but the taste was heavenly between the nuts, the pomegranate, and the spices. Well worth a try or two to recreate.
http://www.recipezaar.com/91809
It would be great on a cold, winters day as the sauce is very rich, distinctive, and savory.
More saffron would really help the efforts! 😉
I posted #67 and I would love to entered in this contest. Thanks Jaden!
I looooove the Persian Cherry Saffron Rice recipe that you posted. My husband loves you for posting it so that I could finally make it! The saffron that I have at home sucks so it would be killer to win the good stuff 🙂
goodness ! we only realised today you are actually a celebrity cook OMG ! Great !
we are watching and listening…(trying really very hard )
how exciting! i hope to see my mountain of saffron in the post soon. you’ve got a fabulous site. such a fun read and full of useful info.
Darling, dearest Jaden. How did you know I wanted a whole lot of saffron? I am link #65 and I think you’ll die for saffron kulfi (Indian ice cream). Slightly flowery, golden, and the most incredible flavor ever! I need saffron! A lot of it because I want to try this recipe so bad. Love you! 🙂
What a wonderful post and so informative! I will return to read more….thanks
I obviously can’t follow directions. My recipe is not for myself, but for Risotto alla Milanese, and though I haven’t made it myself, it’s my favorite dish made with saffron.
Oh yeah, Princess Jaden, you awe me with your grace, blind me with your beauty and inspire me with your angelic aura of innocence.
Sign me up! Although I’ve never made the Mussels, Clams and Shrimp with Saffron Risotto and Olive Relish, it’s gotta be good because it had a ridiculously long title… also because it has seafood and comes from Lucques restaurant.
I’m just a college guy, but I’m not a microwave whore. I decided to turn my room into a kitchen complete with oven, 2 burners, a set of pots, a set of knives, a grill, and the obligatory college microwave. And I just wouldn’t be worth much if I didn’t have it properly stocked, but as much as I love it, saffron is just way out of my budget.
I decided to abandon the tried-and-true recipes and go for something that just looks damn tasty, and desserty too.
Seriously, an ounce of saffron would be like a dream come true. And now that I’ve turned my friends into food snobs, I wouldn’t be the only one of them to enjoy it. Thanks for the opportunity!
I loooove risotto. I hope you like this recipe. And I also hope I win!!!!!! Please fulfill my lifetime dream of cooking with saffron.
I’d like to be entered. Many thanks!
Hi – I just listed Eggplant Gratin with Saffron Cream – so yummy!! I’d love to win some saffron, please! I’ve never owned any!
So I’m the dumbass that has the recipe linked to my name so it appears as “Winne” but truly, it’s a lentil soup from “Somthing in Season” – http://www.somethinginseason.com/2007/01/i-know-that-ive-used-this-photo-as.html. I came upon it through other blogs and I’ve cooked this a few times and it’s just such a healthy hearty dish. I’ll be honest and admit that my skills are limited in the kitchen and this is my 2nd dish in the kitchen with saffron. The other is a burmese rice dish which I’m sure has a recipe somewhere but I don’t have an English term for it.
sadly i couldn’t find a link for this, but it’s good stuff. as is your website. sign me up!
Here’s my fav!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_27055,00.html
I love saffron! Thanks for running this contest (and the site as a whole – this is one of only about four or five food blogs in my rss reader).
I SO cannot afford saffron, but I love love LOVE this recipe. Hope you try it an enjoy! Stace~
The Saffron Panettone is something like my grandmother used to make. She’s in the hospital right now and I’ve been meaning to get the recipe from her for ages, but this is probably the closest thing to it.
I was once involved in a Madrid-wide hunt for a mislaid tin of saffron. Buying the lovely stuff and then leaving it behind at a sidewalk cafe that looks like all the other sidewalk cafes in the Plaza de Sta Ana and then enlisting your English-only speaking friends to search for it adds an extra level of rarity and allure to saffron. I think entering a contest and having the saffron shipped direct is a little more straight-forward a route, though.
I just discovered your blog recently– through Lifehacker maybe? Does that sound right? I’m loving it, thank you.
I am so sorry it took me 3 times to get that right. I have never tried Saffron. (gasp) But I love pumpkin soup and thought about this recipe.
Gimme gimme gimme some saffron!!!
I totally want to use it to make some Bouillabaisse (#53)! 😀
Thank you for setting this up! Please enter me in the contest. Thank you! (I submitted one recipe link so far, but I’m sure I’ll add more as I think of them.)
I had no idea where Saffron came from… so, could I make these recipes in the spring, with saffron harvest from my own crocus?
I made your Persian Sour Cherry Saffron Rice with meatballs. Mmmm. It made such a mound that my friend got to feed her family the next night with the leftovers. They loved it, too! As always, I bow before your culinary skills, Jaden, Queen of the Steamy Kitchen
Saffron Panna Cotta, from Batali’s recipes. Heavenly good.
Princess Jaden, you awe me with your garlic, blind me with your beets and inspire me with your angelic oil of sesame.
P.S. Is there a way to fix the name of the recipe? I put my name by mistake.
“Princess Jaden, you awe me with your grace, blind me with your beauty and inspire me with your angelic aura of innocence.” That is why I chose your Persian Cherry Saffron Rice as my fave. (Actually, I chose it because it is delicious and it makes me feel a real chef when I make it!).
P.S. Sorry I screwed up on the link thing. The caffeine hasn’t kicked in yet.
First time here and loving it 🙂
PERSIAN SOUR CHERRY SAFFRON RICE!!!!
The only dish I ever made with saffron….and so incredibly delicious, I visit the your picture all the time to prevent myself making it. I *will* eat the whole thing by myself. It is most definitely that good.
my choice is Saffron Kulfi which is a popular Indian dessert made with boiled milk. As a kid I would beg my parents to buy me this dessert. Even if its not for the competition, try this for your kids Jaden. Its simply delicious… Here is the link to the recipe.
Hey hey hey, I quite like this persian jeweled rice recipe.. it goes superbly with roasted chicken bits marinated in OJ with rind, garlic, herbs and olive oil. The rice can be rich, but when eaten sensibly with an accompaniment, its delish!
pls pls pls, put me in your draw. I’m in Brisbane, Australia, and its really difficult finding someone who sells a decent quantity of saffron… all i can find is the small 0.5g boxes for $6.00!!! I can use this up in one dish cause its not the best quality either…so pls pls pls… let me be the one! oh and of course, you are the yard stick by which all other beauties are measured against….
Jaden,
you�re the Greatest! :))
Martin “BerlinKitchen”
Oh No! I entered my name instead of the name of the dish. Sorry, it’s been a long day. Spanish Paella is my entry dish which was posted May 22, 2007 in my site. Just scroll down and find it. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and it’s good to know where to get my saffron.
Your beauty and grace, your bubbly personality and your extraordinary writing skills is what draws everyone to your site. Not only can one learn to cook your recipes, it also is a place where one can enjoy your blog and unwind after a long day.
I wish that you can come to the San Francisco Bay Area to conduct a cooking instruction someday. It would positively attract aspiring cooks to be a part of your culinary expertise.
Chris
This is a delicious contest.
I like that people are asked to leave their favorite recipes, every link I’ve looked at sounds wonderful.
Dearest Jaden,
You and this contest rock my FACE OFF. I linked to Asparagus and Sugar Snap Pea Paella, which is the closest thing to my very favorite recipe. I intend to blog about it sometime, but it’s a green vegetable, mussel, and pine nut paella that is SO GOOD. Again to reiterate, saffron is the shit and so are you.
Ahha yes I got saffron at home…. let see what i can churn out this time!…..
Your highness, I beseech you: when you and your friends are cooking with that magical spice, please remember those of us whose allergies prevent us from enjoying it. I once used saffron as often as I could afford, but now the best I can do is hold back tears as I remember those times gone by.
Oooh, free saffron… I’ve never used it before, so I hope I win! Thanks for the contest, Jayden! And I love, love , love your blog… you totally crack me up!
Morrocan Chicken, not my recipe, my friend Monica’s. would like it better if only it had saffron and NOT powered curry!!!!!
Saffron seems so exotic and is quite pricey, but the key is to use it as a spice to a familiar dish so that you enjoy the flavor of it as opposed to some elaborate and foreign meal. A Spanish-inspired chicken and rice meal using saffron would be filling and approachable, but would highlight the spice’s aromatic and flowery flavor.
Hi Jaden, Love your blog…*especially* the negative calorie cake…that kind of thinking is awesome 🙂
I made a mistake that some others have made too…entered my name instead of the dish…so #36 and 37 are both me 🙁 …sorry for that trouble.
The dish is a favorite of mine- very simple, with only 3 ingredients, but does it taste good!! The caramelly ricotta cheesecake is the perfect bed for the saffron glaze…my doesn’t do justice to the beautiful crimson, caramel and gold tones….
Thank goodness my sister put up her recipe for Bouillabaisse! I love it when she makes it for me – and I love it even the more the next day when the leftovers are made into seafood bisque!
Ok, it’s not my recipe – but I hope it qualifies me for the contest, so I can give her half of the saffron and force her to cook it for me. Because I’m selfish like that.
oops! Jaden! I entered my name instead of the name of the dish! What a dufus. Can you remove it? The dish name is Mussels with leeks, saffron and cream. Thanks!
Bouillabaisse is my absolute favorite use for saffron. It’s the light touch of heaven on an already delicious dish.
I’d love to be entered in the giveaway, and hope you enjoy the recipe!
We just remodeled our kitchen this summer and I’m cooking more and more. I’ve never used saffron and I’m dying to! Please enter me in your drawing! Thanks.
Ooh! I’ve been wanting to make Ilan’s Fideo with Saffron and Clams from Top Chef. I’m a Top Chef junkie. 😀 I really want to try saffron (never had it before *blush*).
SO THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT when I read this was “Saffron Ice Cream!” And then I kind of frowned b/c I wondered if such a phenomenon would dare to exist. And indeed it does. I tried snooping around the web for a recipe that looked legit, and I found this one: http://www.tartingitup.com/tarting_it_up/2006/04/saffron_ice_cre.html with pictures and everything! 😀 Thanks for setting up this contest Queen Jaden of all things royal like saffron threads!
never bought saffron, so I’ve never used it in a recipe, though I love to see what you use it for 🙂
i recently discovered your site and Love it. Keep the yummy recipes coming. you are in my rss reader now.
Oh my god I would kill for that Saffron. Kill what? I’ll leave that up to your imagination. *grin*
I love, but have never cooked with, such an expensive spice (until recently I was cooking on a college student’s budget, actually, I still am, even if I am no longer a student).
Since I couldn’t give you a recipe I’ve actually made (*sob*), I gave you a recipe for the first thing I’d make if I had me some saffron, Saffron Aioli. I’ll eat aioli on anything, and this one surely seems like the ultimate of ultimates.
You rock. And so do your kids. Keep it up! 🙂
Mmmm… saffron is too rich for my wallet! Please, ma’am…can I have some? My wife loves my cooking, and I’m sure she’d love it even more if I spiced it up with saffron!
And at least I have the decency not to make a Carrot Top joke… he’s not funny in any context! Okay, maybe he’s funnier looking after the plastic surgery.
“Princess Jaden, you awe me with your grace, blind me with your beauty and inspire me with your angelic aura of innocence.”
That’s why I submitted 26. Yum, cookies
I put in the Garlic and saffron soup recipe and it is a fabulous recipe if you like bread based soups. Eating it will cause people to have a Jedi mind trip and say “Princess Jaden, you awe me with your grace, blind me with your beauty and inspire me with your angelic aura of innocence”.
Great site. I love saffron.
Seems I cant follow directions 🙂
Everything looks soooo good! Cant we all win some?!!
Three unfortunate and unappetizing words:
Carrot Tope’s pubes.
—-you are SO gross Jeff! Good thing I know you and love you dearly!!! -jaden
I’ve gotta say, a simple Saffron Rice is quite wonderful.
O lovely and delectable Empress Jaden…my RSS thrums with pleasure whene’er you post anew. Please endow my impoverished and hardworking kitchen with golden orange goodness.
Mmm.. rice. Yummy delicious rice.
Really great idea, Jaden!
Thanks for the contest – I’d love to win some free saffron, it’s one of my favorite spices.
Here’s a recipe that we enjoy. I don’t know where it originated, but I’d gladly give them credit, it’s a keeper. If saffron was less expensive, we enjoy it more often.
The risotto is a basic recipe, however the saffron makes it sublime. You can finesse the seasoning recipe to your own taste, but stay within reasonable limits. We tend to cook by feel and taste, unless we’re baking bread or pastry.
Pancetta wrapped Scallops served over Saffron Risotto
For the Risotto:
5 oz butter
1 large yellow onion, cut into p inch dice
salt TT
1 p cup Arborio Rice
3 fl oz white wine
3 tsp saffron threads
6 cups chicken stock
4 tbsp grated parmigiano
Heat 3 oz of butter in a 12 to 14 inch skillet on medium heat until melted. Once butter is melted, add yellow onion and pinch of salt. Continue to cook over medium heat (sweating the onion) for 15- 20 minutes or until mixture is blonde in color, not brown. When onions are cooked, add rice. Cook over medium heat for approximately 1 minute. Add white wine and saffron to rice and continue to cook over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes. Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to a boil. Using a medium ladle, add chicken stock to risotto one ladle per time and simmer until it is absorbed. Stir occasionally with wooden spoon. Make sure that liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle of stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Add remaining butter (2oz) and parmigiano and continue to cook over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes. Serves 4
For the Scallops:
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp butter, finely chopped
salt and pepper TT
12 large sea scallops
24 slices pancetta
2 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp butter
1 fl oz lemon juice
Preheat oven to 450.
Combine lemon zest, garlic, fresh herbs, salt and pepper and coat each scallop. Wrap pancetta around the perimeter of each seasoned scallop. Fasten with oven-safe skewer. Drizzle oil onto baking sheet and position scallops on top, scallop side down. Place bit of butter atop each scallop and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until bacon is crispy. Drizzle lemon juice over each scallop Arrange scallops over risotto and garnish with fresh herbs of choice.
oh! just to clarify, saffron is called ‘kesar’ in Hindi, an Indian language!
I’d do almost anything for free saffron. One of my favorite saffron things is Swedish Christmas bread like the example I linked to above. I love the colour of the dough, and I love how usually the saffron doesn’t disappear completely so that you still see some specks of red in the finished product. Oh, and it’s delicious.
Princess Jaden, you awe me with your grace, blind me with your beauty and inspire me with your angelic aura of innocence.
Hope i got that right, don’t want to be disqualified for a spelling error……… 😉
http://asdearassalt.blogspot.com/2007/08/kesaria-saffron-flavored-sweet-delicacy.html
Jaden-
I’m hooked on your blog. Not only do you make me laugh out loud (which I’m glad I’m not wearing dentures, b/c I’d spit them across the room with laughing fits) but you inspire me to become a better cook.
Sorry, no precious princess comment here…
Only that you make me laugh my brains out everytime I read a new post of yours, people around you must cherish their time spent with you.
If everyone was as good of a blogger as you, the world wouldn’t need antidepressant anymore.
Wow! Free saffron. I usually stop here for cool cooking ideas and recipes. Keep up the fabulous work!
Okay, I know Mark Bittman’s tomato paella has gone around the blog-world multiple times, but it really is good and pretty easy, too. I love it because it doesn’t require a special shopping trip for the chorizo and seafood. Mmm… saffron rice…
Great, first you get me hooked on noodle crack, now I’m going to be addicted to all things saffron. Are you happy now?
and here, empress jaden, is another favourite i enter for your event.
http://jugalbandi.info/2007/05/qabuli/
it’s a rice dish.
queen jaden,
thanks for picking my fav spice. the best recipe that brings out the essence of saffron is one by anita of A Mad Tea Party.
http://madteaparty.wordpress.com/2007/08/04/zafraani-zamudud/
she’s from kashmir and you’d better believe that the best saffron in the universe comes from her enck of the woods. the stuff you’re getting from the folks in SF had better be from there.
we have a great saffrony dessert at our blog too,
http://jugalbandi.info/2007/05/the-taste-of-yellow/
but believe me the one i recommend screams ‘essence of saffron’.
deep bow,
bee
I subscribed back with all the flurry around the steak article (and we tried it, turned out great). I submitted recipe #7, and would love to be entered in this contest.
A programmer by day, I love getting into the kitchen and trying out new recipes. I honestly haven’t cooked with Saffron yet, but I’ve been getting my wallet ready to do so one of these days.
Excellent site, and you have a great writing style that keeps me reading each article all the way through.
Okay, I should have read your instructions clearly. I didn’t mean to double-enter the challenge with the same dish. Can you fix it, thanks!
Oh Jaden you are indeed the Goddess of all things yummy!
*Sorry I messed up my link above – I read the wrong directions first, then read the right ones *after* I’d already done it!
I love to order Lamb Korma at Indian restaurants, and have been wanting to try my hand at this recipe: http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes/lamb-korma-recipe
but $12 for a tiny bottle of saffron just seems over the top. Thank you for holding this contest, and for explaing what the heck saffron is. I love that about your posts – they are very informatvie but written with a sassy attitude (not to mention mouthwatering photos!)
LOVE Paella! Actually the only dish I have ever made using Saffron. This is the recipe that I use when I make the dish.
Sorry I don’t have any Saffron receipes. Cool contest though!! 🙂
Ok, so the Onion and Saffron-Roasted Lamb looks really simple. And it is. But it is also oh-so-good. I recommend garnishing with scallions and cilantro but I’d leave out the mint unless you’re a huge fan of it. It tastes a little bit off with the onion.
Oh, and you blind me with your grace, inspire me with your beauty, and awe me with…oh, forget it. But I do like the steamy kitchen.
Princess Jaden, you awe me with your grace, blind me with your beauty and inspire me with your angelic aura of innocence.