SaffronRecipes

2.5Kg Mixed fresh fish
250 g Prawns or shrimps
250 g Scallops
250 g Mussels (if you love them)
2 Tins crab meat (what I use instead)
6 Tblsp. olive oil (or canola)
2 onions, sliced
4 Cloves garlic, crushed
4 Tomatoes, skinned and cut into sections
1/2 Tsp. Ground SAFFRON
1/2 Tsp. paprika
1 or 2 Chilli, dried
2 Cups fish stock
1 Cup white wine
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Fillet fish (if whole fish is used) and use heads and trimmings for the stock
Cut fish into (approx.) 5 cm pieces
Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over low heat
Add onion, garlic and tomatoes, stir well.
Add SAFFRON, paprika, chilli and simmer for 30 minutes
Add fishstock, wine and simmer for a further 20 minutes
Add fish, prawns/shrimps and crabmeat: simmer until cooked
Add mussels and simmer until opened
Add scallops until heated through
Season to taste. Toss in parsley and stir through
Serve with garlic bread
Serves 4 - 6

ORIGIN: The summer seasonal hotel where I did my apprenticeship in Agno (the Italian part of Switzerland)
THE ORIGINAL VERSION WAS WITH VEAL, PORK, SOME FISH, SHRIMPS AND/OR CRAB MEAT AS WELL
10 -12 CHICKEN THIGHS (CUT INTO COARSE JULIENNE)
1.5 CUPS BASMATI RICE: COOKED AND COOLED
1 MEDIUM ONION AND 3 CLOVES GARLIC: CHOPPED
COARSE JULIENNE OF:
2 TOMATOES

100 GRAMS LEEK

50 GRAMS CELERY

50-100 GRAMS CAPSICUM
2 TABLESPOONS SOYA SAUCE

2 TEASPOONS CHILLI PASTE
1 CUP STOCK
1/2 CUP WHITE WINE
1-2 GRAMS SAFFRON (GROUND AND SOAKED IN THE WINE FOR A FEW HOURS)
CUMIN AND GINGER POWDER (OR FRESH, GRATED IF YOU HAVE SOME)

SAUTÉ CHICKEN (MEAT) IN OIL AND SET ASIDE
SAUTÉ ONIONS IN BUTTER, THEN ADD GARLIC AND VEGIES
ADD WINE, STOCK AND SPICES AND SIMMER UNTIL VEGIES ARE HALF COOKED
ADD MEAT AND MIX WITH RICE AND PUT IN BAKING DISH
PUT IN OVEN FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AT 150 CELSIUS
OPTIONAL GARNISH: A DIAGONAL LATTICE OF STRIPS OF HAM AND CRÈPES ON TOP

1 kg. of fish fillets (white, firm) cut into 5cm pieces.
(or chicken thigh fillets, free range, of course!)....
( Chunky vegetables with chickpeas for vegetarians)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fish stock (or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup cream

3 tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces *
* I use only 1 tbsp. and thicken the sauce with a bit of corn flour instead (healthier)

0.5 grams SAFFRON threads
(ground and soaked in a bit of white wine or milk for a few hours or over night)

Place fish in a deep frying pan and season to taste
Add the wine and stock and bring to a simmer
Cover and cook gently until the fish is cooked through ( 7-10 mins)
Remove the fish and keep warm
Add the cream to the liquid in the pan
Whisk in the butter, bit by bit; DO NOT BOIL
Stir in the SAFFRON
Add the fish with any juices that may have collected, and warm before serving..........

A slightly more thickened version (with corn flour) is excellent on pasta.

PREPARATION: 20 MINUTES COOKING: 35 MINUTES Serves 6

8 cups vegetable stock
125 g butter
2 onions , finely chopped
500 g arborio or Calrose rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
(ground in mortar and pestle and steeped in a bit of wine for a few hours)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
chopped parsley

1. Prepare stock and keep it simmering so it is very hot when added to the rice.

2. Melt half the butter in a heavy saucepan and cook onions over low heat until soft and golden, stirring occasionally.Add rice and cook, stirring, until grains are coated with butter.

3. Add wine and cook until it is all absorbed; then add 2 cups of stock and simmer, stirring occasionally , until liquid is absorbed. Add 2 more cups of stock and continue cooking , stirring to make sure rice doesn't stick.

4. Add saffron to remaining stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Add this to the rice and cook until all stock is absorbed. By then the rice should be tender and moist right through each grain.

5. Add remaining butter and the grated parmesan cheese and mix in very gently, using a fork to avoid mashing the grains of rice. Serve hot , sprinkled with parsley.

3 large onions, finally chopped
1 leek sliced, white part only
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Olive oil
10 small new pototes, scrubbed
5-1/4 cups fish stock
30 SAFFRON stigmas, ground in mortar & pestle
1-1/2 firm white fish ( ling or similar )
(retain bones & heads to make stock)
GARNISH: Cooked prawns
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Very gently saute the onions, leeks and garlic in olive oil. Cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir and keep covered. Do not brown. Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds and add to the onion mixture. Add more olive oil if needed. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Add fish stock and half the SAFFRON . Mix well. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Taste; if no further reduction is required, add the fish and the remaining SAFFRON. Stir and simmer for a further 15 to 20 minutes. Check to be sure the fish is cooked and season with salt and pepper . Ladle into warm bowls. Add a prawn or two for garnish and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.