What is saffron ? Learn the mean saffron crocus price , how to cook with the spice , and how to differentiate the genuine mess from impostors .
You may have seen saffron at the grocery store and marvel , " What is saffron , what is the medium saffron cost , and why is it so expensive ? " Saffron is often referred to as " red gold , " for dependable reason — it ’s the cosmos ’s most expensive spice , retail for anywhere from $ 10 to $ 20 for a gram of the real stuff and nonsense . It has a subtly sweet , strong - to - pin - down tang and is a natural food dye . It ’s the key to unlocking the vivid golden people of color ofclassic dishes such as bouillabaisse , Italian rice alla Milanese , and Spanish paella .
Here , pick up about the precious spiciness , including where it comes from , how to cook with saffron , saffron price , and how to assure the veridical mint from impostors .
Credit:BHG / Alexandra Shytsman
Mohammad Salehiis the owner ofHeray Spice , a Chicago - based ship’s company that sources hand - harvested saffron .
BHG / Alexandra Shytsman
What Is Saffron?
Believed to have first been discovered in Bronze Age Greece , saffron has been cultivate for thousands of years for role as a spice , dyestuff , and medicine . Saffron number from the stigma ofcrocus sativus , a flowering plant in the iris family with undimmed purple petal that ’s also known as “ saffron crocus crocus ” or “ fall crocus . ”
Each flower only produces a few of the prized crimson - redness stigmas ( commonly referred to as ribbon ) , which are hand - picked and then dry . aboriginal to southwest Asia , the bloom are reasonably moody and opt a wry , semi - arid mood . Today , Iran is the world ’s conduct producer of saffron crocus , but the spice is also cultivated in Afghanistan , Greece , Morocco , and India , among other countries .
Why Is Saffron So Expensive?
So , what progress to saffron so dear ? To put it apparently , it ’s an incredibly labor - intensive crop to reap . Each saffron heyday only acquire three threads , so it can take thousands of flowers to get just one ounce of saffron . The whisper - thin threads are also incredibly delicate , so they must be carefully harvested by hand and only very ahead of time in the cockcrow to deflect risking equipment casualty from the sun .
Owen Franken/ GETTY IMAGES
" When you get these sticks or ribbon out of the bloom itself , it ’s all hard , " says Mohammad Salehi , the owner of Heray Spice , a Chicago - based companionship that source bridge player - harvest saffron from a co-op of phratry farmers in the Herat province of Afghanistan . " You have to get up very early in the morning before dawning to collect them — by 7 a.m. , the saffron should be at your processing facility ; otherwise , the Lord’s Day will break it . You have to beak the flowers with one hand and then use your finger on the other hand to foot each ribbon out of the flower , and then you have to leave the threads in the sun to dry . There ’s no motorcar ; it ’s hand - harvested . Let ’s say one person works full - clip in a Clarence Shepard Day Jr. — chance are he is not going to be able to get more than one gram of saffron . "
Credit:Owen Franken/ GETTY IMAGES
Saffron also has an incredibly curt harvest time window . Crocus sativus is a fall - flowering flora , only blooming for two or three weeks out of the yr . Depending on the location , saffron is typically harvested in late October into November .
How to Tell Real From Fake Saffron
Because of its notoriously high price tag end , fake versions of saffron abound . To cut down on costs , some unscrupulous producers will mix a small amount of genuine saffron with fillers such as safflower , a plant commonly naturalize forcooking oil , or corn whiskey silk threads that are dye red with food coloring , and commercialise the mathematical product as saffron crocus .
So , how can you tell real saffron aside from the fraud ?
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How to Use Saffron
Do n’t be dissuaded by the toll tag — a short bit of saffron crocus goes a long means . You typically only ask a teaspoonful or less to add mystifying savour and color to all kind of dishes . Saffron ’s complex flavor is difficult to nail — it ’s promising , sweet , floral , and slimly earthy . Salehi identify it as a mellifluous sweetness with note of hand ofdried flowersor fresh hay .
Test Kitchen Tip : Make certain to bribe Crocus sativus threads over ground saffron , which often mixes in other spices like sweet pepper or Curcuma domestica .
When quick to use , Salehi recommends grinding a jot of the threads with saltiness in a mortar and muller until you have a fine pulverisation . While you may for certain sprinkle this freshly ground Crocus sativus directly into your stunner , it ’s dependable to let it bloom to land out the flavor and scent . To do so , transfer the ground saffron to a minor bowl , add together about 3 tablespoons of broth or warm water , stir together , and allow it steep for 5 to 10 minutes .
How to Store Saffron
Store your saffron in anairtight glass containerin a cool , dark position . If you do n’t use it immediately , stick it in the freezer to strain its shelf life .
Our Favorite Saffron Recipes
Saffron is a natural match for Elmer Leopold Rice , whether in classic Italian Italian rice or tahdig , a traditional Persian rice dish with a crispy , caramelise freshness . Just ¼ teaspoon of Crocus sativus threads add together fat color and flavor to thisWeeknight Paella . Saffron is commonly paired with chicken , but it also works well with seafood and lamb . you could add it to your favoritecurry recipe . With its unambiguously perfumed flavor , saffron also naturally radiate in afters .
Frequently Asked Questions
No . Although they both have vivacious colors and flavors , Crocus sativus comes from a flower andturmeric is a root . Turmeric is also more caustic and down-to-earth while saffron is more floral in taste .
Herbs like cilantro and Basil the Great can overpower saffron . So canwarm spices like cuminor pimiento . Since you want to get the most for your money , let saffron ’s taste shine through when add it to dish aerial and avoid mixing it with more overpowering flavour .
Yes , an ounce of saffron is value at more than an ounce of atomic number 79 . It is the earthly concern ’s most expensive spice because it withdraw so much time and effort to bring forth .
Fulton , April . “ The Secret History of the World ’s Priciest Spice ” National Geographic . 2017 .
