How to use saffron well in the kitchen?

The Saffron can be purchased in Hebra or ground , it is also true that there are several qualities of saffron and each of they have a different yield so the same stew would have to add different amounts of the spice to get the same result.

The saffron is the ideal condiment to add to a multitude of recipes, especially those of rice, gives them a very characteristic smell, flavor and aroma and combines very well with ginger, lemon, garlic, thyme and tomatoes. 

Recommendation

Be careful! Using it badly may leave you unsatisfied or even ruin the recipe.

The first thing is to get a quality saffron and 100% saffron.

The most Saffron is recommended in Hebra since it can be perfectly distinguished if everything contained in the pot or case is truly saffron.

How to distinguish good saffron in thread ?

To know if it is good saffron, it is necessary to carefully observe the saffron contained in the package.

First of all it is necessary to distinguish if it is an artisan < / strong>

The first observation to be done is that the strands are joined , each strand consists of three pistils and the whole flower is obtained, if the strand is whole it means that the saffron has < hand-made , this is a key feature to distinguish artisanal saffron from that of other breeding methods.

Second you have to see that it is well roasted

A good toasted is done in a traditional and artisan way on a soft heat source  and by experienced craftsmen, the best saffron has a color red intense that holds for the first two years, this circumstance means that it is a new saffron and the new one is always the best, p roasted a time, the saffron tends to lose intensity, if it is no longer bright red is still a good saffron but will no longer be first line. If the saffron is dark by turning to black it means that it is past roasting and it would be a mistake to buy it since it would have lost the quality .

** Note important **

There are also crocuses, normally imported, that are dried in the sun, with this technique they dry a lot but the saffron obtained has much less quality than the saffron toasted in thin layers and in a traditional way.

** The best advice **

Avoid buying saffron that we can not see, there are many saffron formats on the market and those that are sold in a tin or box without a window that does not allow you to see the saffron, you have to suspect, if the product is of quality, it will always be displayed so that it can be seen.

Third, the aroma of the spice

Once the bottle is opened, you can check the aroma, if it is a new saffron << / strong> this will give a smooth aroma very pleasant , similar to a quality perfume, over time, if it is of quality, the smell becomes more intense and if the saffron is of low quality the smell can be strong but it is not so pleasant anymore, it may have vinegary notes or even, practically, not have an odor.

Fourth, the coloring power of saffron

The quality saffron has a performance very high , with 1g you can make a stew for 50 diners, the quick way to see it is the color it gives, with three strands (9 pistils) well undone it should be more than enough to have a great result in the recipe in that we use it, where it is best to appreciate is in rice. Currently the saffron quality is referenced taking into account the coloring power ( crocina ) although the spice has values ​​equal to or more important than the color as it is the aroma, flavor and the ability to enhance the stew as a whole.

How to use saffron to not pass me and get the most out of it?

There are several ways to use saffron, but there is always a common factor, the saffron must be as undone as possible when adding it to broth or stew.

In a restaurant

If you are going to use it regularly, it is best to undo the saffron and add a container of water in the concentration you want, so we will have it ready to add in each recipe that requires it.

In our house

In our home the safflower It is used punctually so it is convenient to keep it in a strand since the quality is not lost even if it takes a long time, at the moment you need to use it can be heated a little bit, gently, until the strands get crispy and can be undone with just touch them, once undone it is ready to add to the stew once it is over 20 min. To remove it from the fire.

In the case of the paella , which is the most common recipe for using saffron, since it is a stew that practically does not go around, it is advisable to add the saffron undone to the hot broth before adding it to the paellera, so you can spin it so that the saffron is diluted and is distributed evenly throughout the rice.

Saffron is a saffron ready to be used without having to toast a little to be able to undo it, the counterpart is that it is impossible to know if it is a good saffron or even if contains something other than saffron, the saffron in strand has a process of cleaning floral remains very expensive and in the ground saffron these processes tend to jump because it does not distinguish in the final product.

How to keep saffron well?

It's very simple, you should keep it away from the lu solar z and in a cool and dry place , in any cupboard where we have the rest of the spices it will be well preserved, in case of living in a place with high humidity as the zones of coast can be kept in the refrigerator as a precaution.

Tips: Use cooking utensils that are not made of wood since saffron can color the wood red.

From AragonGourmet we recommend you try the Saffron Bio of Jiloca since its quality is guaranteed since it is always a saffron of last harvest, you can find it in several different formats.