Saffron
SAF-ruhn
Crocus sativus
Floral, honeyed, earthy, faintly bitter.
What it is
Saffron is the dried red stigma of the crocus flower Crocus sativus, and the most expensive spice in the world by weight because each flower yields only three threads, all picked by hand. The flavor is floral, honeyed, and earthy with a faintly bitter edge, and a tiny pinch lends both perfume and a deep golden color. It defines Spanish paella, Persian and Indian rice dishes, and seafood stews like bouillabaisse. Real saffron is costly, so cheap powder is often cut or faked; whole threads steeped in warm liquid are the safer buy.
What it pairs with
Goes wrong with: dishes where its cost would be wasted.
Common in Spanish, Indian, Middle Eastern, Moroccan cooking.
Whole vs ground
Saffron is sold as whole dried threads, which keep their aroma far better than powder and are harder to adulterate. Steep the threads, do not grind for most uses.
How to handle it
Soak a pinch of threads in a little warm water, milk, or stock for several minutes, then add the colored liquid and threads to the dish. A few threads is plenty.
Storage
Airtight, cool, and dark. Whole threads keep their aroma for a couple of years.
Buying note
Buy whole deep-red threads, not powder. A trustworthy source matters, since saffron is among the most adulterated spices.
Classic dishes
paella, biryani, risotto alla milanese, bouillabaisse.
Out of saffron? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Turmeric, for color only | a small pinch | gives the golden color but none of saffron's floral aroma |
| safflower (false saffron) | to taste | adds color, very little flavor |
One odd thing
It takes around one hundred and fifty flowers to yield a single gram of saffron, all of it hand-picked, which is why it costs more than any other spice by weight.