Paella

When we visited Spain in January, I brought some saffron back for the moms. In Spain, the spice is only € 1 instead of $10+ as it is in the States. Until recently though, I still had not cooked with it, but I understood it to be the key spice in Paella – which I love. Last week I took the plunge, and decided to make some Paella. I found some saffron, or safran in German, at my local Rewe for € 3, and started my cooking adventure. Most recipes indicate that you can substitute turmeric for saffron, but this is only a color substitution, not flavor. In fact, my Paella recipe called for turmeric. Having never cooked with saffron before, I was unaware of the nuances of proper saffron usage. I just stirred it in when my recipe called for turmeric. Wrong!

Saffron is the stigma you know, that middle part of the flower (in case you tuned out during biology), of a particular species of crocus. The stigmas are picked from the flowers and allowed to dry before packaging. It looks a little bit like dried grass, but it’s red. Because of this labor intensive picking process, saffron is the most expensive spice in the world.

It’s grown in many countries around the Mediterranean Sea and in the Middle East, which is why I found it to be the least expensive in Spain. Saffron can also be sold, as a powder, but buying it in this form can be risky, because sometimes people cut it with turmeric, leading to an inferior product, purchased at a superior price. Whether you are working with either the powder or the straws, there is a crucial first step of using this spice: soaking it in hot (not boiling) water for at least several minutes, but up to several hours. The soaking will help release the flavors giving you a more complex tasting dish.

Now that I’m better educated, the next time I make Paella it will be even better!

Useful Links

Cooking with Saffron

Saffron Wikipedia Page

Trade and Use of Saffron

Paella Recipe

I use Paella as an opportunity to empty my fridge, and will put pretty much put any veggies I have into the mix. A common Paella recipe involves seafood, but not liking mussels and shrimp, I used chicken and chorizo sausage. I then topped it off with some rice and veggies. Here is my paella recipe, but remember, it’s easy to alter based on what you have on hand.

4 chicken legs (wings and thighs)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pinch of saffron, or 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
4 ounces chopped chorizo sausage or smoked ham
2 cups long grain rice
2 ½ cups chicken stock
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 cup frozen peas

Remember important step! If using saffron allow the threads to soak before cooking, for each teaspoon of saffron threads, add three teaspoons of hot, not boiling water. Before starting anything, pour half the chicken stock over the rice and let it soak until you are ready for it. Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut chicken legs in half. Heat the oil in an oven-safe frying pan or flame proof casserole, or use a regular frying pan and be prepared to transfer the entire concoction to a casserole dish for baking. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides in the frying pan. Add onion and garlic and stir in the turmeric or saffron. Slice the sausage or dice the ham and add to the pan, with the rice (and soaking stock) and the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a boil, season to taste; cover and then bake for 15 min.

Remove from oven and add frozen peas, sliced bell pepper, and tomatoes. Return to oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is tender, and the rice has absorbed the stock.

The last time I made this, I added more peppers, black beans, and a frozen veggie mix I had in my freezer. The recipe is really just a loose guideline; add whatever you have on hand.