Yes, I'm just mad about saffron... I love its earthy - almost ethereal - flavor, although I don't like its cost. While I know exactly why it is so expensive, I always hope I will find some real saffron at fake saffron prices.
In case you aren’t aware why it is so costly, saffron must be hand-picked. Saffron are the three stigmas of the autumn crocus (crocus sativa), which is said to be native to Greece and Southwest Asia. There is no easy way to mechanize the process, so the humanpower needed to get an ounce is almost staggering. Stigmas form 150 croci must be picked quickly and carefully dried to produce 1 ounce.
Once, in San Francisco, I bought some "saffron" in a small Middle Eastern grocery story in the Sunset district. It was a decent-sized bag and it only cost $2.99! The price should have been my clue that it wasn't saffron; it was dried calendula petals masquerading as saffron.
Call me bitter. Well, at least call me bitterly disappointed!
I learned that lesson at a young age, and I have never forgotten it. But that didn't stop me from believing that I could find good saffron at reasonable prices.
As I mentioned two weeks ago, I generally order it through Amazon and the quality has been very good. Most recently, an ounce of saffron (about 14.5 grams) went for less than $60, whereas most stores are selling 1 gram for between $10 and $15. Quite a bargain when you 'do the math!'
This is very good for me, as I use saffron liberally. I use it in risotto alla Milanese, in a Baroque Spanish hot chocolate (which also has vanilla, rosebuds, cinnamon, and chile de Árbol), and today's dish - spaghetti with a tomato-saffron cream sauce.
The first time I made this dish, we had friends Marylou and Steve visiting us in Maine from Connecticut. We all attended the Blues Festival across the river in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was a hot, steamy August evening, and we ate in our small, screened-in conservatory, drinking wine and telling stories all evening.
It was an evening I remember so well - an evening in which the food, friends, and conversation all melded to create one perfect moment, a magical memory.
Since then, I have made several different iterations of this sauce, and tonight's was particularly good. So good, that I thought I should share it with you. And, of course, write it down so I can replicate it in the future.
Donovan, I can't tell you if "Saffron is mad about me," but I think you know now how I feel about her.
~ David
Spaghetti with Tomato-Saffron Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small onions or shallots
1/2 cup diced pancetta
1 1/2 pounds San Marzano or plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy (full) cream
1/2 cup pasta cooking water
12 ounces spaghetti
a sprig of basil for garnish, if desired
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Peel and chop the onion/shallot finely. Add the shallot and the pancetta to the melted butter and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until onion/shallots are soft, and the pancetta is turning golden, about 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente.
Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5-10 minutes, until tomatoes are breaking down. Cooking time will vary in accordance with the ripeness of the tomatoes.
Add the saffron threads and stir. Then add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes until much of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cream and stir to combine. If needed, add up to a 1/2 cup cooking water to keep a sauce-like consistency.
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir to coat spaghetti, allowing the flavors of the sauce to penetrate the pasta.
Divide among four pasta plates, and serve immediately.
Serves 4. Labels: cream, pancetta, saffron, san marzano tomatoes, spaghetti, tomatoes
