Saffron thread
Used in 4 recipes on RecipeWiki.
Saffron threads are the dried stigmas of a crocus flower, picked by hand, which is why so little costs so much. Their flavour is honeyed, floral and faintly bitter, almost hay-like, and they turn food a deep golden yellow. A pinch gives Chicken and Prawn Paella its colour and perfume, and saffron also enriches Kulich and Albóndigas in Almond Sauce. Steep the threads in a few spoonfuls of warm water or stock for ten minutes or more before adding them, so the colour and flavour spread evenly through the dish. Buy threads rather than powder, which is easier to bulk out with cheaper spices, and store them airtight and away from light.
Most often cooked with
Garlic
Onion
Bay leaf
Bean
Egg
Lemon
Milk
PaprikaRecipes with saffron thread
Albóndigas in Almond Sauce
Pork and beef meatballs simmered in a pale sauce thickened with fried bread and almonds rather than flour.
Beef
Pork
Sauces
Chicken and Prawn Paella
Bomba rice cooked flat and never stirred in a wide pan, which keeps the grains separate and toasts a crust onto the base.
Chicken
Main courses
Spanish
Fabada Asturiana
Big white beans stewed slowly with chorizo, morcilla and pork until the broth turns thick and orange.
Stews
Kulich
Tall enriched Easter bread coloured with saffron and studded with raisins, finished with a white glaze that runs down the sides.
Bread
Russian
Vegetarian