At this time of year the saffron harvest takes place in Consuegro, near Toledo in Spain, when hectares of the plain of La Mancha are carpeted in light purple.
At dawn, the blooms are harvested by hand, and then the stamens are plucked out, dried and stored. This labour-intensive activity requires some 160,000 flowers to produce one kilo of saffron, and the nimble fingers of all the villagers, which explains its price. All of a sudden, it does not seem quite so expensive.
It was at this time of year that saffron used to be harvested and sold in England too, at the great fair in Saffron Walden on October 21 and at Newport Fair on November 17. Introduced into England in the 14th century, it was cultivated for about 400 years. Saffron was always scarce and expensive and was a traditional gift from the Corporation of Saffron Walden to royal visitors to Audley End in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Now saffron is being cultivated again in England, I should say Britain, for the saffron crocus is being farmed in north Wales with some success, and the growers are keen to encourage others to take it up. Small quantities are available commercially – www.britishsaffron.com.
These slender, dry red filaments, almost insignificant in themselves, add a rich colour, fragrance and inimitable flavour to food, qualities which were much prized in medieval times throughout Europe and not just in Spain.
At one time, saffron was used for colouring, butter and cheese for example, and Shakespeare refers in A Winter’s Tale to its use for colouring pear pies.
The tradition of saffron is still alive in Britain in the form of regional baking; cakes, buns and biscuits are still made in Devon, Cornwall, Northumberland and Ireland, especially in Easter time.
Saffron is also used in the Languedoc, where it too was cultivated for a while, before it was replaced by woad; one of my favourite recipes there was a lovely, golden tripe casserole. And Spanish paellas call out for saffron, as does the mughal cooking of the northwest frontier of the Indian subcontinent.
I use saffron regularly in my cooking, both sweet and savoury, for example in a scone topping for a game cobbler. Saffron infused in cream provides the basis for an excellent ice cream, even better when lightly sweetened with honey, and I use it in a curd cheese tart, baked in a sweet short crust pastry, with which I serve a quince custard.
I am also very fond of rice pudding flavoured with saffron, but I rarely serve it to friends now. While it tastes very good, it looks exactly like scrambled eggs.
In savoury dishes I find saffron has a particular affinity with fish and shellfish, both in sauced dishes and soup-based dishes. I have included today a recipe for a fish salad with saffron vinaigrette and a version of moules marinière. Pale root vegetables too are much enhanced by the colour and deep complex flavour of saffron. Saffron potatoes, either mashed or simple boiled, have become something of a cliché, but they nevertheless taste very good, as does my inexpensive soup using Jerusalem artichokes.
Steamed saffron mussels
Soak a pinch of saffron threads in three tablespoons boiling water. Prepare the mussels as if you were making moules marinière. Allowing at least half a kilo of mussels per person as a main course, scrub the shells under cold running water, knock off any incrustations, and tug off the beard or byssus.
Discard any mussels that remain closed. Place in a large saucepan, together with a couple of peeled and finely-chopped shallots, a grinding or two of black pepper and 150ml dry white wine, mixed with the saffron liquor. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam over a high heat for a few minutes until all the shells have opened.
Transfer them to soup plates or a tureen, discarding any that remain closed. Into the liquid remaining in the pan, squeeze a little orange or lemon juice, and spoon over the mussels. Serve as soon as possible so that the fragrance does not evaporate before it reaches the table.
Later in winter, when Seville oranges become available, use their juice in this dish and the next one, for a more subtle flavour.
Clams can be prepared in the same way and they are delicious tossed in freshly cooked pasta.
Warm skate salad with saffron vinaigrette
Serves 4
Vinaigrette:
Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in boiling water
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Gozo salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp sherry vinegar, lemon or orange juice
Mix and leave for the flavours to develop while you poach, steam or bake the skate. Choose a 500g to 700g skate wing, and cook according to your chosen method. Discard the skin, and remove the strands of fish from the cartilage. Heap the fish on to plates, on a bed of salad leaves, together with some thinly sliced apple or thinly sliced and de-gorged cucumber and spoon over the vinaigrette.
Saffron and honey junket
Serves 4 to 6
A saffron junket sweetened with local honey makes an unusual ending to a meal, the junket traditional, the flavourings modern in application. Honey really is the perfect sweetener for saffron-flavoured desserts, whether creams, custards, pies or cakes
Pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp boiling water
600ml full cream milk
1 to 2 tbsp honey, to taste
1 tsp rennet essence
150ml cream
Warm the saffron liquid, milk and honey to blood heat and no more. Remove from the heat, and stir in the rennet essence. Carefully pour into a bowl, glass for preference, and leave it at room temperature until the junket has set. After that, it can be refrigerated until required. Before serving, run a layer of cream over the top.
Jerusalem artichokes, saffron and cheese soup
Serves 4 to 6
Good pinch of saffron threads
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
30g butter or 2 tbsp extra virgin oil
500g Jerusalem artichokes
1 heaped tbsp flour
1.15l vegetable or chicken stock
2 to 3 tbsp cream
3 to 4 heaped tbsp grated cheese, such as Gruyère, Cheddar, Parmesan or Lancashire
Gozo salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Let the saffron soak in a little hot water while you gently fry the onion in butter or oil until soft. Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes, peel if you wish and slice them. Cook them with the onion for a few minutes, and then sprinkle on the flour and stir, adding just a little stock.
When this is well blended, gradually stir in the rest of the stock, and add the saffron liquid. When the vegetables are soft, blend and sieve the soup, bring back to the boil, stir in the cream and cheese, and season to taste.
Whitebait and saffron griddle cakes
Serves 12 to 16
Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in hot water
100g plain flour
1 egg
About 140ml buttermilk or yoghurt thinned down with water
250g whitebait
1 tsp baking powder
Gozo salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Snipped up chives, chervil or parsley
Extra virgin olive oil or butter for frying or use a non-stick frying pan or griddle.
Beat the saffron water, flour, egg and buttermilk to form a thick batter. Heat the pan, and just before you are ready to cook, sprinkle in the baking powder, and beat the batter again thoroughly. Then stir in the whitebait, seasoning and herbs. Pour a small ladle of batter into the pan.
Do not shake the pan to spread the mixture. These should be small, quite thick cakes.
You will probably be able to cook four at a time. When the top surface looks dry instead of glossy, and full of holes, flip the cakes over to cook the underside for one to two minutes. Serve them hot or warm.
Clams, prawns, oysters, mussels or scallops can replace the whitebait.