Arya Saffron

Persian Baghlava

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound almonds, lightly toasted, finely ground
• 1/2 pound shelled pistachios, finely ground
• 1 package of phyllo (thawed in the fridge overnight if frozen)
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, melted

Syrup:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup of water
• 1/6 cup rose water
• 1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron, pinch the threads to a powder or use pestle and mortar

Method:

1. In a medium sized bowl combine the chopped almonds, pistachios, two tablespoons sugar and the ground cardamom. Mix well and set aside.
2. Combine sugar and water in a small pot and bring to a boil on medium heat for about 15 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the saffron to the syrup, lower the heat, simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, add the rose water and allow to cool.
4. Lightly butter the inside of the baking pan.
5. Place the first phyllo dough sheet down and lightly brush the melted butter across covering the entire surface.
6. Add four more pieces of phyllo dough and lightly brushing each with melted butter.
7. Add a layer of ground almond/pistachios.
8. Add five more pieces of phyllo dough sheets lightly brush each sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter.
9. Add another layer of the chopped nuts covering all areas.
10. Place five more pieces of phyllo dough, lightly brushing each with butter.
11. Cover the phyllo dough sheets with another layer of the crushed nuts.
12. Place the last five layers of the phyllo dough sheets and brush the surface with butter.
13. With a sharp knife cut across diagonally to make diamond shapes.
14. Place the baking pan on the center rack of the 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Clelsius preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden.
15. Take the tray out of the oven and turn the oven off.
16. Pour half of the cool syrup all over the baghlava and place it back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
17. Remove the tray from the oven and pour the remaining syrup over the baghlava and let cool for at least a couple of hours before serving. (It tastes much better the next day so you may want to make it ahead of time).
18. To sum it all up, this recipe has 4 layers of 5 phyllo dough sheets and 3 layers of ground almonds and pistachios.

Moroccan lamb tagine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1. 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
2. 2 tsp groundblack pepper
3. 2 tbsppaprika
4. 2 tbspground ginger
5. 1 tbspturmeric
6. 2 tsp groundcinnamon
7. 1 x shoulder or rump oflamb trimmed and cut into 5cm/2in chunks (about 1.1kg/2½lb meat in total)
8. 2 largeonions, grated
9. 2 tbspolive oil
10. 2 tbspargan oil
11. 3 clovesgarlic, crushed
12. 570ml/1 pinttomato juice
13. 2 x 400g tinnedchopped tomatoes
14. 115g/4ozdried apricots, cut in half
15. 55g/2ozdates, cut in half
16. 55g/2ozsultanas or raisins
17. 85g/3ozflaked almonds
18. 1 tspsaffron stamens, soaked in cold water
19. 600ml/1 pintlamb stock or chicken
20. 2 tbsp clearhoney
21. 3 tbspcoriander, roughly chopped
22. 3 tbsp flat leafparsley, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Place the cayenne, black pepper, paprika, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon into a small bowl and mix to combine. Place the lamb in a large bowl and toss together with half of the spice mix. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
2. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2.
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of argan oil in a large casserole dish. Add the grated onion and the remaining spice mix and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes so that the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic for the final 3 minutes.
4. In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining oil and brown the cubes of lamb on all sides then add the browned meat to the casserole dish. De-glaze the frying pan with ¼ pint of tomato juice and add these juices to the pan.
5. Add the remaining tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, apricots, dates, raisins or sultanas, flaked almonds, saffron, lamb stock and honey to the casserole dish. Bring to the boil, cover with a fitted lid, place in the oven and cook for 2-2½ hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.
6. Place the lamb in a tagine or large serving dish and sprinkle over the chopped herbs. Serve.

Persian borani-e bademjan

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• ¹⁄₂ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, plus ¹⁄₂ small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced, plus 1 clove, thinly sliced
• ¹⁄₂ cup Greek yogurt
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¹⁄₄ tsp. crushed saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp. water
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbs chopped parsley

Method:

1. Heat oven to 375° Fahrenheit or 180 Celsius°. Place eggplants on a foil-lined baking sheet, and prick all over with a fork. Bake, rotating, until skin is charred and flesh is very soft, about 1 hour; let cool. Scoop out flesh, transfer to a colander, and drain for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat ¹⁄₄cup oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add the medium onion; cook until browned, about 15 minutes. Add eggplant and minced garlic; cook, mashing, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer to a bowl. Add yogurt, salt, and pepper; stir until smooth. Cool.
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. oil in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic; cook until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic chips to paper towels to drain; set aside.
4. Transfer eggplant mixture to a bowl and drizzle with saffron; garnish with garlic chips, parsley and walnuts.

Persian Baghlava

I was once told that we have the master glazier of Milan’s cathedral to thank for risotto alla Milanese, the creamy rice dish that gets its vivid color and flavor from saffron. In 1574, the master hired a disciple nicknamed Zafferano because he used saffron to stain the glass gold. The master teased, “You’ll be putting saffron in your risotto next!” Well, it happened that his daughter was to be married. At the celebration, a table held four steaming pots of risotto. The guests were amazed to see it was tinted gold—the wedding gift of all wedding gifts. —Marc Vetri, chef-owner of Vetri restaurant in Philadelphia

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp. saffron threads
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 small yellow onions, minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 oz. raw bone marrow (optional)
• ¹⁄₂cup grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Heat stock and saffron in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat; keep warm.
2. Heat butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add rice; cook until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes.
3. Add wine; cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4. Add¹⁄₂ cup warm stock; cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
5. Continue adding stock, ¹⁄₂ cup at a time, and cooking until absorbed before adding more, until rice is tender and creamy, about 16 minutes total.
6. Stir in marrow, if using, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

Spanish Saffron aioli with asparagus

Asparagus spears are fantastic on the grill, which turns the flower ends crispy and charred while the stems remain tender. Saffron aioli adds a distinctive Mediterranean flair. Choose medium or thick asparagus spears; pencil-thin asparagus are hard to handle on the grill and burn easily. Saffron is a pungent and earthy spice that goes a long way in small amounts.

For the saffron aioli:

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Pinch of saffron
• 1 tbs warm water
• 3 small garlic cloves
• coarse salt
• ½ tsp Dijon musterd
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 to 2 tbs. Fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 lb. medium or thick asparagus
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, slivered
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 hard-cooked eggs

Method:

1. Place saffron in a small bowl with water; set aside.
2. Use a mortar and pestle to mash garlic and a pinch of salt to a fine paste. Add mustard and incorporate. Add egg yolks and mix well. Add saffron-water mixture and stir to incorporate. Slowly add half the oil, drop by drop at first, and then in a slow steady stream, while mixing with the pestle. (Thin with about a tablespoon of warm water if mixture is too thick.) Continue incorporating oil until all of it is absorbed. Thin with additional water if needed, and season with salt and lemon juice to taste.
3. Trim or snap off the tough ends of the asparagus, leaving each spear about 5 inches long. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin, starting 1 inch below the tip. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Brush and oil the grill grate.
4. Grill the asparagus directly over medium-high heat, turning often, until the spears are crisp-tender and nicely grill-marked, 5 to 6 minutes.  Serve hot off the grill or at room temperature with the saffron aioli on the side.

Tea ceremony