Saffron recipes

For this recipe, desalt the cod to the optimum salt level. Heat 150 ml of olive oil in a saucepan without it reaching boiling point. Add 3 peeled and lightly crushed garlic cloves and a few saffron strands. Simmer gently for 30′.

Once the process is over, leave it to cool (ideally overnight). To prepare the mousseline, a mayonnaise is made with the mixture above, and is poured into a whisking glass together with an egg, a few drops of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

Whisk until the saffron mayonnaise is obtained. Preheat the oven to 180 ºC. Arrange the cod (with the skin facing down) on a baking tray, spreading the saffron mayonnaise over the top. Cut the tomatoes in half (they can also be spread with the mousseline). Place the tray in the oven for about 20’ (the time will depend on the size of the piece of cod, take it out when the mousseline turns golden).

Serve by spreading a little mousseline over the plate.

RECIPES AND PHOTOS JORDI GARCIA (Gastronomic Photographer. BCN)

First, toast the cashews in a frying pan with some oil and set aside. In another frying pan, caramelize a finely-chopped onion and some garlic over a low heat and then set aside. 

Using the oil which we used to toast the cashews, add a few strands of saffron, four tablespoons of cream and simmer until it becomes a thick sauce. Add the onion to the sauce and continue to stir.

Serve the pasta (here wholemeal pasta has been used) and stir in the cashews, and the cream and saffron onion sauce. Sprinkle over some herbs (thyme) and parmesan.

RECIPES AND PHOTOS JORDI GARCIA (Gastronomic Photographer. BCN)

Ingredients: 

• 2 tubs of Philadelphia cheese (cream cheese)
• 6 large eggs
• 100 ml whipping cream (35% fat)
• 3 tbsp flour
• 300 g sugar
• Strands of saffron (According to taste)

In a saucepan, add the whipping cream and saffron and stir over a low heat for 20′, so the saffron releases its flavour and colour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to around 195 ºC. In a bowl, mix the sugar, cream cheese, 6 eggs and flour. When you have achieved a smooth consistency, add the cream to the saffron that has been previously prepared and stir until combined.

Line a circular springform baking tin (20 cm) with a sheet of pre-soaked crumpled baking paper so that it covers the base and sides of the tin. Pour the mixture into the tin and place it in the oven for 45′ at 195 ºC or until the top is golden. 

Once it is golden in colour, turn off the oven and remove it, although the centre may have a custard-like appearance. Leave the cheesecake to cool outside the fridge until it reaches room temperature and then place in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours. Remove it from the tin and decorate. Here we decorated it with fig and pistachio jam.

RECIPES AND PHOTOS JORDI GARCIA (Gastronomic Photographer. BCN)

Make the pancakes by beating together oats, eggs and milk (here vegetable milk has been used), one teaspoon of powdered yeast, a little honey and a pinch of salt. Cook them in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.

The sauce is made by heating the cream with the honey and saffron over a low heat. To serve, drizzle the sauce over the pancakes.

RECIPES AND PHOTOS JORDI GARCIA (Gastronomic Photographer. BCN)

Ingredients (4 servings):

400 g rice

500 g peas

400 g tomatoes

2 medium artichokes

2 garlic cloves

1 onion

12 saffron threads

100 g ham

Preparation:

In a casserole pan, heat oil and fry ham, add the onion. When they are beginning to brown, put the other vegetables: tomatoes, artichokes and peas. Let cook over low heat for a few minutes. Then pour the rice and salt and, after stirring, add the boiling water with a ratio of 1 cup rice to 2-1/4 cups water or broth. Put some garlic and the saffron threads and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Leave to stand for 20 minutes and cover the casserole pan with a kitchen cloth.

Ingredients (4 servings):

1 large cuttlefish

400 g medium potatoes

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon paprika

black pepper

16 saffron threads

1 bay leaf

Preparation:

Clean the cuttlefish and cut into about 2 cm cubes. Put the clams (previously soaked in water and salt for 2 hours to remove the sand) and a bay leaf in a pot. Add water to cover and put over the heat, bring to the boil. Stir fry onions and finely chopped garlic in olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped cuttlefish until cooked through. In a casserole pan place the stir-fry, the cuttlefish and the paprika, and then pour the water and clams from the pot. Place also the potatoes, peeled and chopped, in the casserole pan. If needed, add more water to cover. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Finally put the finely ground saffron and leave to simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.

Ingredients (4 servings):

 400 g fish (small pieces of hake, monkfish, conger, shrimp…)

1 large tomato

1 large onion

12 saffron threads

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves

garlic, salt and pepper

some dry bread cubes

grated cheese

Preparation:

 Peel and chop the onion and tomato, and stir fry in hot oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and 1 liter water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Add fish and leave simmer for about 30 minutes, then blend with a mixer. Add saffron, previously roasted, and cook again for about two minutes. Serve garnished with some garlic bread cubes and grated cheese.

Ingredients (4 servings):

 4 large pieces of cod (or hake)

12 peeled baby shrimp

3 garlic cloves

some sprigs of parsley

1 tomato

75 g hazelnuts

75 g almonds

12 saffron threads

2 medium artichokes

2 cups peas

4 hard-boiled eggs

Preparation:

Make the picada sauce by adding almonds, hazelnuts, garlic cloves, parsley and saffron (previously roasted) to a mortar, and pound until finely crushed. Add water or broth to fill the mortar. Pour oil into a frying pan and when it starts to boil add a tablespoon flour and stir until golden brown. Then add the picada sauce. When it boils again add the artichokes, previously cut into 6 pieces, and the peas. If needed, because it becomes too thick, add more water or broth. Finally add the pieces of desalted cod (or hake), the hard-boiled eggs, cut in 4, and the peeled shrimp and simmer until cooked through.

Ingredients (4 servings):

10 saffron threads

2 red onions

3 garlic cloves

6 tablespoons olive oil

12 small rabbit legs

salt

250 ml dry white wine

1 bay leaf

8 black pepper grains

1 teaspoon paprika

5 thyme branches

Preparation:

Firstly, soak the saffron in 4 tablespoons boiling water. Slice onions and peel and chop garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan and stir fry onions and garlic. Set aside and add the remaining oil to the frying pan. Stir fry rabbit legs on all sides for 10 minutes, salt and place on kitchen paper to drain. Pour the wine into the frying pan and bring to a boil. Pour over the reserved onion and garlic stir-fry, the bay leaf and the saffron soaked in water. Add also the pepper, paprika, washed thyme and rabbit legs. Add water until rabbit is completely covered. Cover the frying pan and cook over low heat for 1 hour. Serve the legs in individual bowls, with sauce to taste on top.

Ingredients (4 servings):

 100 g ham cubes

8 chicken drumsticks

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

500 g ripe tomatoes

1 onion

2 aubergines

1 large courgette

200 ml dry white wine

100 ml broth

Oil

1 garlic clove

salt and pepper

saffron

Preparation:

Firstly, cut onion into strips and set aside. Chop garlic and cut tomatoes into pieces and set aside.

Season the chicken drumsticks with salt and pepper, and fry in a casserole pan with little oil over a high heat until golden brown.

Add then ham cut into small cubes.

Once golden brown, add onion cut into strips, chopped garlic, tomatoes cut into pieces and dry white wine. Cover and leave to cook.

Add broth and saffron, and leave to cook over a low heat.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan stir fry the aubergines and the courgette cut into cubes with oil and salt. Once stir fried, add to the casserole pan.

Add the roasted peppers cut into strips. And leave to cook for a few minutes.