Saffron Cooking Tips

• The best way to extract the colour & flavour and ensure even distribution throughout the dish is to steep in a liquid solution.
• To do this, first grind the saffron in a pestle and mortar before steeping in hot water for 20 mins. Try adding a dash of sherry to the mixture for some added flavour.
• For a decadent roast potato, boil potatoes in a saffron infused water before roasting in a saffron infused oil. 
• Due to its earthy flavour, saffron compliments other root vegetables really well such as carrots, leeks, mushroom, spinach and squash
• For use in rice dishes such as biryani, risotto, paella etc infuse the saffron in water before poring over the rice based dish. Adding later in the cooking process to ensure the flavour is more pronounced. 
  

• Vegetable Paella with mushrooms, kale and peas
• Lussekatter- Swedish Saffron buns
• Saffron Rice
  

• Spice flavour profile

Saffron has a complex flavour profile with bitterness, sweetness and earthy undertones. There’s a honey like character to it’s aroma and flavour which gives way to slight floral bitterness and satisfying hay like notes. 

• Flavour Pairings

Saffron pairs well with other sweet, earthy flavours such as basil, chilli, paprika, mustard & onion. Aside from root veg' saffron are a great match with seafood, eggs, nuts (pistachio, almonds) as well as sweet citrus fruits; orange, lemon, pears, peaches, apricots.