The Science of Spice

Flavour Group | UNIQUE COMPOUNDS | Saffron

RELEASE THE FLAVOUR

The key flavour compounds

(safranal and picrocrocin) and

pigments (crocin) dissolve in

water better than in oil, but

need time to escape and

benefit from steeping; adding

directly may leave much still

trapped in the threads.

BLENDING SCIENCE

Picrocrocin gives saffron its lingering, slightly bitter taste, and safranal produces

much of its distinctive aroma. Both picrococin and safranal are unique to saffron,

but their qualities help to determine pairings, as does the small amounts of

pinene and the tenacious eucalyptus-like compound cineole.

FOOD PARTNERS

Vegetables Saffron has a particular

affinity to earthy vegetables, such as

carrots, leeks, mushrooms, squash, and

spinach. For rich colour and depth of

flavour to roast potatoes, parboil in

saffron-infused water then roast with

oil mixed with ground saffron.

Lemon Pair saffron and preserved

lemon in a Moroccan-style tagine.

Rice Essential to Spanish paellas,

saffron also enriches Iranian pilaus,

Indian biryanis, and Italian risotto.

Lamb Use to flavour a yoghurt

marinade for slow-roast leg of lamb.

Fish, shellfish Poach fish in

saffron-infused milk, or add steeped

strands to a crab or lobster bisque,

moules marinières, or Marseille

bouillabaisse.

Milk Infuse into milk to make Indian

custard-like puddings, ice cream, or

reduced-milk sweets.

Kitchen

creativity

Warm, musky, with the distinctive aroma of cut hay and a slightly metallic tang,

saffron’s flavour comes in part from compounds unique among the spices. With

correct handling, just a pinch will transform a meal.

Grind in a pestle and mortar

before steeping to speed the

release of compounds.

Add alcohol to the soaking

water to draw out the

lesser compounds.

Steep in warm or hot water

for at least 20 minutes or up

to 24 hours.

Use milk to help dissolve the

lesser flavour molecules

through the presence of fat.

BLEND TO TRY

Use and adapt this classic blend

featuring saffron:

Paella mix p75

harmonize with the

aroma of safranal:

coriander’s

flowery aroma from

lilac-scented linalool

complements the hay

notes of safranal

cinnamon, vanilla,

allspice, nutmeg

are all sweet spices

that work beautifully

with the hints of honey

in safranal

the bitterness

withstands other

potent compounds:

caraway

harmonizes through

shared pinene and

its S-carvone has

parallels to picrococin

paprika brings

earthy, smoky aromas

that combine with

saffron’s muskiness

black pepper

has gentle pungency,

slight bitterness, and

shares pinene

cineole provides a

crucial flavour link:

ginger is a potent,

warming match,

sharing cineole along

with pinene, floral

linalool, and sweetly

scented geraniol

bay has great

synergy thanks to

shared cineole and

other complementary

minor compounds

draw parallels with

other pine and/or fir

aromas:

garlic cooked

gently has sweetness

that, combined with

piney, orange-hinted

sabinene, make this

an important spice for

savoury saffron dishes

sumac carries a

notable pine-like and

woody flavour, and its

high tannin content

mirrors musky,

earthy aromas

SAFRANAL

honeyed |

hay-like | floral

CINEOLE

penetrating |

eucalyptus-like

PINENE

PICROCROCIN pine-like | woody

musky | earthy |

warm | bitter

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SAFFRON

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