saffron main courses

Saffron lemon chili chicken

 

A simple yet satisfying dish.

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

1 tsp saffron threads

2 tbs warm water

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 inch fresh ginger, minced

2 long red chiles, sliced

50g thai basil

1 tsp coriander seeds

250ml chicken stock

750g deboned chicken thighs

2 tbs cornflour

1 lemon, juiced

 

1. Crumble the saffron threads into a saucepan and dry fry over a low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.

 

2. Scrape the threads into a small ball and add the warm water. Set aside to steep.

 

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion over a medium heat for around 5 minutes.

 

4. Add the minced garlic, ginger, chiles, coriander and basil. Fry until the onions are golden and the rest is aromatic.

 

5. Add the chicken pieces and brown over a high heat.

 

6. Add the stock and the saffron-infused water. Cover the saucepan and simmer for around 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.

 

7. Add the cornflour to 50 ml of cold water. Mix together and add it to the saucepan. Simmer until the sauce thickens.

 

8. Remove from the heat and just before serving, stir through the lemon juice.

Valencian vegetable paella

 

10 saffron threads

2 tbs olive oil

250g bomba rice

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 red chili pepper, cut into rounds

6 cherry tomatoes

150ml white wine

250ml stock

250g green beans

150g white beans (Garrofé, white kidney beans, lima, canned or dried)

1 red capsicum, roughly chopped

1 courgette, sliced into rounds

10 asparagus spears

1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces

1 bay leaf

50g almonds

 

1. Crumble the saffron in pieces in a dry frying pan. Scrape it out and leave it aside in a dish.

 

2. Put the oil to the pan, heat and add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or so until golden.

 

3. Add the garlic, almonds and chili pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

 

4. Add the rice to the pan and coat it well with the oil. Pour over the white wine and bring to the boil for a couple of minutes.

 

5. Add the stock, peas, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and the saffron and reduce the heat to simmer the rice.

 

6. Grill the tomatoes, capsicum, courgette and asparagus under a hot grill until there are charcoal patches showing on them.

 

7. Cook the rice until tender and add more stock or water if the rice runs dry. When it is cooked, turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, turn it onto a plate and arrange the charcoal vegetables on top to serve.