Spanish Saffron is the queen of spices, the champagne of the spice world and a delicacy like no other. It's renowned for its complex flavour profile, bright red colour and of course, its price, which pound for pound, is more expensive than gold.
With its own Denomination of Origin, Spanish saffron is recognised for being of utmost quality and with its smoky and yet floral flavour profile, it transforms the most humble dishes such as vanilla ice cream into sensation gastronomic masterpieces.
What is Saffron?
Saffron is made from the stigmas of the Crocus Sativus flower – a relative of the lily. It’s been used for many centuries for various things, including as an aphrodisiac, a dye, a medicine, and of course, as a spice. It contains certain chemicals that are said to be able to enhance memory and alter your mood. In some countries, it is a symbol of culture, luxury, and wealth.
Saffron contains several antioxidants – crocin, crocetin kaempferol, and safranal. It is the crocin and crocetin that are responsible for the spice’s red colour, while the safranal gives it its distinctive, delicate aroma and flavour. The golden yellow colour that saffron imparts to the dishes into which it is added, is as important as the distinctive favouring it adds. Aglio Olio (ali oli), paellas, cooked potatoes, ice creams, and more, all become super scrummy after the addition of a few threads of red gold spice.
Spanish Saffron versus Iranian Saffron
Iran is the biggest producer of Saffron in the world with a stonking 90% of the worldwide production. Thanks to Iran's high number of small saffron farms the prices are relatively low, in saffron terms at least.
In appearance, Iranian saffron threads are long, flat and dark red, whereas the Spanish variety is shorter and curly, with brighter red and yellow colours.
Spanish saffron is produced on only a few small family farms in specific areas around the country. The producers focus on the traditional means of production and cultivation, where after harvesting the saffron flowers by hand, the threads are toasted over charcoal, giving them a distinctive, smoky note.
This and the fact that Spanish saffron is revered for its quality and often seen as the best saffron money can buy makes it the most expensive spice of its kind, with a hefty price tag of up to $3,000 for a kilo. Although saffron is the most costly of all spices, don’t let that prevent you from using it in paella. At around €9 per gram, it might feel a little pricey, but you can make approximately 60
paellas with it, so it's not as scary as it might sound at first. Check out the recipe for the Spanish Saffron spice blend.
Growing Saffron in Spain
Our tale of saffron begins in AD 711 in North Africa and travels across the Strait of Gibraltar as the Moors invaded Spain. They brought with them the secret of Muslim irrigation, still evident today throughout the terraced hill and mountainsides across the Spanish mainland, and saffron, the queen of spices.
Only one century ago, Spain was the biggest saffron producer in the world, making 140 tonnes of this exquisite spice" perhaps every year. But by the early 1970s, production had dropped by 50% to around 70 tonnes per annum, and it is still shrinking due to the fact that saffron production has never been properly upscaled.
Historically, landowners in Spain used to give a small slice of land to their workers to grow saffron which they could use as a type of currency. They would harvest it, store it away, and bring it out for expensive occasions such as weddings.
Alma Makro (an offshoot of Makro Cash and Carry) lends financial support to the local industry, and thanks to the efforts of passionate local villagers, this is one area where production has increased in recent years.
There is a Denomination of Origin quality seal for saffron grown in Spain’s La Mancha province. Saffron under the PDO La Mancha Saffron quality seal is the only spice with this recognition of quality in Spain, making it a true one-of-a-kind product.
Experience the World of Saffron on a Plate
Paella, roast suckling pig, Spanish meatball soup, braised chicken in almond sauce, Arroz al horno (baked rice pork, morcilla black pudding, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, and garbanzo beans), roasted garlic soup, and tres leches cake – What have all these delicious dishes got in common – apart from originating in Spain? Why, it’s Saffron!
There are not only an amazing variety of Spanish recipes that benefit from the addition of saffron, but It’s used in dishes from other countries too. Take Chicken Korma or Zafran Murgh Korma for example. This fabulous rich, creamy, slightly sweet Indian curry gets its wonder colouring and subtle earthiness thanks to the addition of a few strands of saffron. Check out the recipe for Barbeque Chicken Skewers with Saffron Spice Mix.
Chicken Biriyani, Risotto ala Milanese, Lussekatter (Swedish Saffron Buns), and Sholeh Zard (Iranian Saffron Rice Pudding) – superb recipes from all over the world that wouldn’t be the same without the sunshine spice. It takes any dish to which it’s added to the next level, including paella, of course. Paella just isn’t authentic paella without saffron. It puts the true meaning behind “taste the difference”
With a history spanning decades and new saffron recipes being created continuously, it's safe to say that saffron is here to stay. If you haven't used saffron yet, buy some and see. You won't be disappointed.
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