Saffron is a spice derived from a crocus species, which turns the meadows purple in Anatolié in the early autumn, and which, according to mythology, was created from the blood of Krokos, the youth who was fatally stricken by the disc of the divine Hermes.
The spice saffron hides in the flower of the Crocus sativus; more specifically in the female parts of the plant: the stigmas and stigmas. Unlike most crocuses, this crocus does not flower in the spring, but in September-October with purple flowers.
One hundred thousand flowers are needed for one kilogram of saffron, and this explains why saffron was the most precious and therefore the most adulterated spice in the world. We learned from the Arabs how to use saffron: to color rice and fish soups yellow and to get that wonderful, slightly bittersweet, warm spicy taste. Careful dosing is necessary. Too much tends to give a medicinal taste. But who is generous with this precious herb? Saffron is indispensable in many Mediterranean dishes such as Marseilles bouillabaise and Valencian paella. In the past they colored Easter bread yellow with saffron and on cold winter evenings they drank warm, spicy, golden yellow drink.
Fish soup with saffron
Ingredients: whiting, sole, freshly ground peppercorns and salt. A few sprigs of parsley, a carrot, a chopped onion, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds | ash, a few sattra threads, 100 g peeled shrimps and a glass of white wine.
Clean the fish, remove the fillets of sole and whiting. Heat the heads and bones with a little salt, pepper, parsley, cut carrot, onion, fennel seeds, saffron and wine and a liter of water. Let this steep for half an hour. Strain the stock carefully and bring it back to the boiling point. Cut the fillets into neat pieces and put them in the stock. Let them simmer, close to the boiling point, gently for about 6 minutes. Add the shrimps, let them heat up for a while, sprinkle with plenty of fresh parsley and serve the soup, accompanied by strips of fried bread, rubbed with a little garlic.
Pilaf rice
400 g rice- 8 dl (chicken) stock, 50 g butter, 1 tablespoon currants, 1 tablespoon pine nuts (or almonds shaved), teaspoon allspice powder (allspice); a tuft of saffron threads, salt and pepper
Fry the rice in the butter, add the soaked currants, pine nuts, the allspice powder, some salt and pepper if necessary, the saffron, soaked in a little water, and finally the stock. Cover the pan and let it boil gently. It must remain moist.
Slemp
Saffron milk. They called it Slemp in the Netherlands. Is it still eaten or better drunk? An old-fashioned drink with saffron.
Tie a fragrant spice bouquet in a gauze with a piece of cinnamon pipe, a few cloves, pieces of mace, a few saffron threads and add a spoonful of tea. Hang this cloth in 1 liter of milk and add some sugar. Then bring the milk to a boil over low heat. Thicken the milk lightly with a spoonful of the cornstarch and let it boil for a while. A kind of mulled wine but with milk and completely different tasting. Or what did you think?
Ancient medicinal recipes
And because I can not resist, also some medicinal recipes with saffron from the very old box of Petrus Nijlandt who mentioned saffron on the authority of Brunfelsus and Matthiolus for melancholy, chest congestion or chest tightness, silk pain, jaundice, contagious diseases, severe labor of women in labor, and to take off the periods and afterbirth: Take twenty grains of saffron and water it with wine or some good water.
And it would also have been good against measles and childhood pox, just eat some ‘grains’ of saffron.
And furthermore, according to Ravelingius, saffron was also externally useful ‘for sore and running eyes’. Then mix saffron under some eye water or woman’s milk and drop it in the eyes. Not that I have tried this immediately, I still have sore eyes, but women’s milk, if it is with saffron, I have not yet dripped in my eyes. There is still much to try in this earthly life.