Saffron
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.
By Alison Carroll
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.
By Yasmin Khan
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.
By Andy Baraghani
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.
By Andy Baraghani
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
By Sarah Kagan
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.
By Tommy Werner
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The Top 10 Flavor Trends Right Now
It's not a popularity contest. But if it were, these foods would win.
By Joe Sevier
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.
By Louisa Shafia
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8 Fancy Meals to Make With Your Tax Refund
You just got paid by the government. It's time to eat fancy.
By Matt Duckor
Sheet-Pan Paella with Chorizo, Mussels, and Shrimp
This classic Spanish dish comes together in a snap when cooked on a baking sheet.
By Katherine Sacks
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.
By Paula Wolfert
Saffron-Pear Lollipops
Anchor these in short vases filled with granulated sugar and win sweetest decor award.
By William Werner
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.
By Dawn Perry
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.
By Richard Blais
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.
By Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
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.
By Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson
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.
By David Kamen
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.
By David Kamen
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.
By Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez