Has anyone ever made Paella?

Cinisajoy said:
Interesting, you found safflower and I had read it was marigolds.
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I think marigold petals can be used to dye rice yellow, for example - but everything I google about Mexican Saffron says its safflower. I believe it is the dried petals of the safflower that are used as opposed to the stamens of the crocus.
 
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morning glory said:
I think marigold petals can be used to die rice yellow, for example - but everything I google about Mexican Saffron says its safflower. I believe it is the dried petals of the safflower that are used as opposed to the stamens of the crocus.
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And now everyone knows use the expensive real saffron in paella. Don't accept cheap imitations.
 
From what I know about saffron, it has a very subtle flavor that is undeniable and unique.

Mexican saffron will do the trick as far as coloring goes, but you need to use an exponential amout to even approach what you get from just a pinch of the good stuff.

The funny part is that the good stuff is really difficult to obtain, so many high brow cooks who "only use real saffron" are often only using a mediocre version of it at best, if it is the real thing at all. Saffron, because of it's cost, is one of the most widely faked things in the world.

If you are one of the lucky ones that can get the good stuff, god bless you. For the rest of us, use a pinch, a handful, or a bucket and just enjoy your damned paella already.
 
buckytom said:
From what I know about saffron, it has a very subtle flavor that is undeniable and unique.
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It does have a very wonderful inimitable flavour - strange and beautiful. I hesitate to try to describe it; a bit sulphurous perhaps with a hint of bitterness mixed with an almost beach-like aroma. And of course it makes things go yellow!

I buy it on-line and I think its the good stuff. Yes - expensive but not ridiculously so as you need very little of it to flavour a dish. I have (believe it or not) grown my own saffron crocuses and collected the stamens. Believe me, you can't grow enough to make it worthwhile. I saved them. Let me go and look. Here we go - this was all I managed to collect!

Photo on 19-04-2017 at 02.14 #3.jpg
 
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morning glory said:
It does have a very wonderful inimitable flavour - strange and beautiful. I hesitate to try and describe it; a bit sulphurous perhaps with a hint of bitterness mixed with an almost beach-like aroma. And of course it makes things go yellow!

I buy it on-line and I think its the good stuff. Yes - expensive but not ridiculously so as you need very little of it to flavour a dish. I have (believe it or not) grown my own saffron crocuses and collected the stamens. Believe me, you can't grow enough to make it worthwhile. I saved them. Let me go and look. Here we go - this was all I managed to collect!

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You collected $50 worth.
 
morning glory said:
I have (believe it or not) grown my own saffron crocuses and collected the stamens
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In my local newspaper (yep we get them - the freebie one) a local farm are advertising for people to help collect the saffron harvest! Now were it not for my bad back... that and the raspberries and I would be set for life!
 
Cinisajoy said:
You collected $50 worth.
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I wish! The saffron I buy is about £7.80 for 1.5g. Most recipes use about .25 g, so that will cost about £1.30 ($1.67) per meal. That doesn't seem outrageously expensive to me - I mean, Im not eating it every day. Maybe I use saffron about three times a month on average. I'd not thought about it before.
 
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I love saffron. Wednesday I'll go to London. My daughter lives and works there. She told me "I want to eat rice and saffron, mom you'll cook it for me. (It's a tipical Milano dish). I'll bring saffron with me in the suitcase because I don't know where to find it and what price. Paella is "rice and saffron" but with the addition of peas, shellfish or chicken or both of them. I love paella

paella.jpg
 
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patriziamariapia said:
I love saffron. Wednesday I'll go to London. My daughter lives and works there. She told me "I want to eat rice and saffron, mom you'll cook it for me. (It's a tipical Milano dish). I'll bring saffron with me in the suitcase because I don't know where to find it and what price. Paella is "rice and saffron" but with the addition of peas, shellfish or chicken or both of them. I love paella

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We had paella as the last Cookalong dish and three members here cooked it. See The CookingBites Cookalong: Paella
 
@Shermie

Good evening. I am was born and raised in Barcelona.

Paella and Fideaù ( noodle Paella ) are very common Sunday lunches at my parents or at our apartment.

1= Toledo, Spain Saffran is available in the Usa @ The Online Shop of Chef José Andreas / La Tienda Online shop and any Latin American Grocer. I pay 3 Euros for a small box of Saffron Threads and a Paella requires 12 threads soaked in ice wáter for 15 minutes. This liquid + the threads are used as part of the Sofrito which is the base of the Paella. Irani or Persian Saffron, may or may not be available in The Usa .. I have no idea. You can also take a look at Foods Of Spain in English .. It is a useful website ..

2= I had recently posted 2 different types of Paella in the Rice Section.
A) Paella Marinara = Just shellfish ..
B) Arroz Caldoso con Bogavante = Wet Rice with Lobster ..

3= There are uncountable Paellas, for example, Valencian Paellas differ from Paellas in Castellon, Alicante, and Murcia and in Tarragona, Barcelona and Gerona, it is more common with noodles verses rice ..

4= I suggest a Pallera, which is the metal pan with 2 handles to prepare however, I honestly prefer the earthenware " Cazuela " from my grand parents. It is much deeper so if you are preparing the dish for 14 People, a standard Pallera shall not be large enough ..


If I can be of any further help, please do not hesitate to ask ..
 
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@morning glory & @Shermie and @Cinisajoy,

Spanish Saffron is from a completely different plant.

Do not use Mexican Saffron .. It is from he salflower plant and this has a totally different profile.

I had suggested a variety of ways to purchase Spanish Saffron above in my post to Shermie ..

Have a nice evening.
 
Francesca said:
@morning glory & @Shermie and @Cinisajoy,

Spanish Saffron is from a completely different plant.

Do not use Mexican Saffron .. It is from he salflower plant and this has a totally different profile.

I had suggested a variety of ways to purchase Spanish Saffron above in my post to Shermie ..

Have a nice evening.
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Actually all our grocery stores sell Spanish saffron at about 14.29 Euros for 5 little strands.
So yes, we can get it but it is super expensive.
Any across the pond herbs and spices are very expensive here except oregano.
 
Cinisajoy said:
Actually all our grocery stores sell Spanish saffron at about 14.29 Euros for 5 little strands.
So yes, we can get it but it is super expensive.
Any across the pond herbs and spices are very expensive here except oregano.
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@Cinisajoy

Wow, that is Pricey considering, we pay 3 Euros for a box of about 25 - 30 threads .. I get 2 Paellas out of 1 Box ..

Well, Shermie can check into the websites I had suggested above and perhaps, The Latin Grocers, where he lives, charge less ..

I must say goodnight as I am very tired from travelling all day ..

Have a nice evening ..
 
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