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Saffron

Paella with Tomatoes and Eggs

Eggs make for a hearty paella—no meat required!

Ice Cream With Saffron Oil And Sesame Wafer

Steeping saffron in hot water releases its color and aroma. If you want a pretty finisher without the expense of saffron, use extra sesame seeds.

Eggplant and Mushroom Tahcheen

This saffron-infused, vegetarian version of the traditional savory Iranian rice cake is made with earthy portobello mushrooms and meaty eggplants.

Saffron–Rose Water Brittle with Pistachios and Almonds

This brittle recipe is a riff on an Iranian candy known as sohan. Its snappy texture and fragrant flavor pair well with bitter tea.

Herb Rice with Green Garlic, Saffron, and Crispy Shallots

This rice dish is based on one of the most famous Persian polos (pilaf), known as sabzi polo.

Joan Nathan's French Rosh Hashanah Dinner

Need inspiration for your Rosh Hashanah menu? Try these recipes that explore the rich traditions of French-Jewish cooking, from renowned cookbook author Joan Nathan

6 Cold Weather Recipes to Simmer and Stew this Weekend

Poach, simmer, and stew your way through this weekend with these comforting and internationally inspired recipes.

Saffron Quinoa with Dried Cherries and Almonds

Saffron rice is an indispensable accompaniment in Persian cuisine, and it tastes just as good made with fluffy quinoa. Crushing and steeping the saffron in hot water brings out its full flavor and color. If you have coconut oil on hand, the naturally sweet flavor pairs nicely with the cherries and almonds.

Sheet-Pan Paella with Chorizo, Mussels, and Shrimp

This classic Spanish dish comes together in a snap when cooked on a baking sheet.

Steamed Lamb

(Baha) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Paula Wolfert's book Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco. Wolfert also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. If you really love the taste of lamb, you will love this dish. It's a pity that we Americans know so little about steaming meats; just as steamed vegetables keep their original flavors, so do steamed chickens and lamb. If you don't have a steamer, use a couscousière or a colander with a tight-fitting lid that fits snugly over a kettle. Some people think that steamed lamb looks unattractive (though no one denies that it's incredibly good). If you feel this way you may brown the meat quickly in butter or oil at the end, or roast it at high heat until it browns. Steamed food should be eaten the moment it is ready, when it is at its peak: if left too long, it will dry out.

Saffron-Pear Lollipops

Anchor these in short vases filled with granulated sugar and win sweetest decor award.

Seafood en Brodo with Tarragon Pesto

Most fish markets will sell you the bones you need to make the rich broth, but avoid those from oily fish like mackerel or bluefish, which will overpower the stew's flavor.

Arroz con Pollo

My wife, Jazmin, is of Honduran descent. When you walk into her mother's house, everything is Latin-inspired, especially the cooking. This dish is a Latin staple, and because Jazmin likes it so much, arroz con pollo has become a staple for us. You can throw in half a bag of frozen peas toward the end to up the nutritional content. We serve it with a bottle of hot sauce on the table and a bowl of yogurt.

Roast Chicken with Saffron, Hazelnuts, and Honey

This dish is inspired by a recipe from Claudia Roden's classic book, Tamarind and Saffron (Viking, 1999). It is one of our favorites: it is easy to make, yet looks stunning, and has the most delicate and fragrant combination of flavors (rose water, saffron, and cinnamon), which takes you straight to the famous Jemaa el Fna in Marrakech. Serve with rice or plain couscous.

Brown Rice Pilaf with Saffron and Ginger

Healers have touted saffron's medicinal properties since the days of Hippocrates, and Cleopatra claimed that it was an aphrodisiac. Its scarcity (it takes some four thousand crocus blossoms to create an ounce of saffron) and the belief that it could be used to treat everything from wounds to the plague even caused the Austrians to go to war over the spice during the Dark Ages. This is at least one feudal folk myth that modern science has corroborated. Studies have shown that saffron has outstanding antibacterial and antiviral properties and also aids digestion. People sometimes balk at saffron's cost, but it isn't unreasonable when you consider its potency; this recipe calls for only 1/8 teaspoon, and as you'll see, a little goes a long way. This pilaf is a delightful and gorgeous dish. The rice is sautéed before cooking to avoid that sticky, gummy consistency, and ginger, parsley, and lemon zest add zing. Prepare ahead: Soak the rice in cool water and the juice of half a lemon for 8 hours or overnight before cooking; this will make its nutrients more available and decrease the cooking time. If you don't have time to soak the rice, add an extra 1/4 cup of broth and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Garlic and Saffron Mayonnaise (Rouille)

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mediterranean classics, check out the video classes.

Bouillabaisse

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mediterranean classics, check out the video classes.

Saffron Mayonnaise

Saffron threads and fresh garlic add a kick of color and flavor to this creamy mayo that's perfect for dipping or spreading.