For the Spice Challenge: Saffron
From: The Castilla La Mancha Designation of Origin, Spain ..
I had gone yesterday to source the ingredients which are not staples in our apartment at the Le Mercat de La Boqueria, Barcelona, in the Bari Goti, Las Ramblas Boulevard.
Recipe Courtesy: Irani Chef Samin Nosrati - Magazine Bon Appetit - Manhattan ..
Persian Jewel Rice with Cardamom, Cumin & Saffron Threads: (Photo to follow) ..
1 / 4 cup Golden raisins
2 tblsps. French butter or similar
1/4 tsp. Ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. Ground cumin
1/4 tsp. Tumeric
1/4 Cup pistachios (raw)
1/4 Cup slivered raw almonds
2 cups of Basmati Rice or similar .. I use an Irani Rice which is aromatic but more subtle ..
The zest of 1 large orange of choice ( I use Israeli Double Skin Navel Oranges)
2 Medium size carrots
1 / 2 cup dried currants or dried cranberries or similar ..
Method:
1) Roast the pistachios for 4 to 7 minutes until toasted golden in oven ..
2) Place the rice in a fine mesh sieve and run under cold wáter until the wáter is clear ..
3) Cook 1 / 2 of the rice in boiling salted wáter ..
4) In a large type skillet or saucepan or pallera with some butter, sauté the orange zest and the peeled diced or minced carrots for 15 minutes.
5) Combine the raisins and currants in a large glass bowl of hot wáter and let soak 10 minutes to the pallera ( I am using a paellera which is used to make paella).
6) Take the saffron threads ( 10 ) and soak them in hot wáter for only 10 minutes.
7) Now, add the shallot, and the salt and the spices to the sauté of zest and carrots.
8) Reduce the heat and add the wáter of the saffron with threads and the wáter of the raisins & currants to the zest & carrot mixture.
9) Slow simmer on slow low flame ..
10) Add the reserved pistachios and the almonds .. Stir gently gently ..
11) Take a little Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and add the rest of the rice to the sauté skillet .. ( I recommend Greek Evoo for its aromatic fruity light essence).
12) Cover the sauté skillet or pallera or saucepan and let it steam ..
13) Let steam approx 5 to 8 minutes ( as 1/ 2 of the rice has already been boiled )
14) Now, cook the rest of the rice ( the other half ) with all the ingredients for no more than 25 to 30 minutes .. Stay in Kitchen and watch that you do not over cook this rice ..
15) Adjust your salt and spices to taste ..
*** If you need extra liquid, use more hot water from the currants and raisins (strain from the dried fruits ..
I had been extremely impressed by the flavor profile and we are grand enthusiasts of rices ..
The Irani Rice: We purchased it from a Distributor of Ali Baba Corporation which sells Irani rices to Spain and Dubai amongst other countries.
It looks like this:
Photo Credit: Ali Baba Corporation.
This shall be presented at the Saffron Spice Challenge ..
I will serve this with a Juve & Camps Cava Reserva Blonde ..
From: The Castilla La Mancha Designation of Origin, Spain ..
I had gone yesterday to source the ingredients which are not staples in our apartment at the Le Mercat de La Boqueria, Barcelona, in the Bari Goti, Las Ramblas Boulevard.
Recipe Courtesy: Irani Chef Samin Nosrati - Magazine Bon Appetit - Manhattan ..
Persian Jewel Rice with Cardamom, Cumin & Saffron Threads: (Photo to follow) ..
1 / 4 cup Golden raisins
2 tblsps. French butter or similar
1/4 tsp. Ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. Ground cumin
1/4 tsp. Tumeric
1/4 Cup pistachios (raw)
1/4 Cup slivered raw almonds
2 cups of Basmati Rice or similar .. I use an Irani Rice which is aromatic but more subtle ..
The zest of 1 large orange of choice ( I use Israeli Double Skin Navel Oranges)
2 Medium size carrots
1 / 2 cup dried currants or dried cranberries or similar ..
Method:
1) Roast the pistachios for 4 to 7 minutes until toasted golden in oven ..
2) Place the rice in a fine mesh sieve and run under cold wáter until the wáter is clear ..
3) Cook 1 / 2 of the rice in boiling salted wáter ..
4) In a large type skillet or saucepan or pallera with some butter, sauté the orange zest and the peeled diced or minced carrots for 15 minutes.
5) Combine the raisins and currants in a large glass bowl of hot wáter and let soak 10 minutes to the pallera ( I am using a paellera which is used to make paella).
6) Take the saffron threads ( 10 ) and soak them in hot wáter for only 10 minutes.
7) Now, add the shallot, and the salt and the spices to the sauté of zest and carrots.
8) Reduce the heat and add the wáter of the saffron with threads and the wáter of the raisins & currants to the zest & carrot mixture.
9) Slow simmer on slow low flame ..
10) Add the reserved pistachios and the almonds .. Stir gently gently ..
11) Take a little Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and add the rest of the rice to the sauté skillet .. ( I recommend Greek Evoo for its aromatic fruity light essence).
12) Cover the sauté skillet or pallera or saucepan and let it steam ..
13) Let steam approx 5 to 8 minutes ( as 1/ 2 of the rice has already been boiled )
14) Now, cook the rest of the rice ( the other half ) with all the ingredients for no more than 25 to 30 minutes .. Stay in Kitchen and watch that you do not over cook this rice ..
15) Adjust your salt and spices to taste ..
*** If you need extra liquid, use more hot water from the currants and raisins (strain from the dried fruits ..
I had been extremely impressed by the flavor profile and we are grand enthusiasts of rices ..
The Irani Rice: We purchased it from a Distributor of Ali Baba Corporation which sells Irani rices to Spain and Dubai amongst other countries.
It looks like this:
Photo Credit: Ali Baba Corporation.
This shall be presented at the Saffron Spice Challenge ..
I will serve this with a Juve & Camps Cava Reserva Blonde ..
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