Volume 9, Issue 61 - September 26, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

Greetings Recipe Club members, it is Monday morning and I would like to introduce my friend Jules Silver from ClubSauce.com. He sells some pretty cool items for your kitchen over there and this week he will give us an insight to some of the specialty items that are available to you and recipes to use them. Today he talks about saffron.

We at Club Sauce have been participating, demonstrating and selling our products at farmer's markets, cooking shows and conventions for over ten years now. And there always seems to be one question that stands out among all the questions asked.

The products looks great, the packaging looks great but what do I do with it and how do I use it? With this question in mind we have created a theme for this weeks recipes. We have selected items such as capers packed in sea salt, dried mushrooms, fleur de sel, truffle items, saffron threads, balsamic vinegars, and extra virgin olive oils.

Hopefully the recipes and brief explanations will help answer the "what do I do with it and how do I use it" question in addition to adding a little zip to your daily dining pleasure.

Monday is all about Saffron Threads:

Saffron is one of the least used and most misunderstood spices in the United States. Yet when one compares this most expensive seasoning to the amount used in a recipe it becomes one of the most reasonable and most flavorful ingredients you can use in Mediterranean-style dishes.

We suggest, and most chefs will agree, that using the very best saffron threads is better than any other form of saffron available today. (For more information and recipes see saffron at www.ClubSauce.com).

Thank you, Jules Silver

ClubSauce.Com Prepare all your soups, sauces & recipes with demi-glace & classic stock reductions including veal, lobster, lamb, venison, chicken, seafood, & veggie.

Saffron-Flavored Aioli (Mayonnaise)

Use as a dipping sauce for vegetables such as grilled zucchini and artichoke. Use with fish, shrimp and other seafood that is grilled, sautéed, fried or poached. Use it to finish soups and green vegetable dishes.

Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (fleur de sel)
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Combine the minced garlic and salt in a mortar and using the pestle crush into a fine paste.

Add the egg yolks, lemon juice and saffron threads and blend the ingredients well with a wooden spoon.

Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and blend into the mixture. As it begins to stiffen continue to slowly add the remaining olive oil a teaspoon or two at a time blending as you add the oil. If the aioli becomes to thick add a teaspoon or two of water to thin.

Note: Be sure to refrigerate until ready for use. The aioli will last several days when refrigerated.

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Saffron Risotto Milanese Style

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon saffron lightly crushed between your finger and thumb
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Add chicken stock and saffron threads to a small saucepan, stir over a medium heat.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil together over medium heat in a large heavy saucepan and sauté the onion until translucent.

Add the rice and stir in for one minute. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed into the rice. Continue to cook the rice and add one cup of stock at a time until absorbed before adding the next cup. Stir frequently and reduce the heat if the liquid is cooking off too quickly. The rice will soften and have a creamy texture on the outside with a firm center (approximately 10 minutes).

Slowly add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the remaining butter stirring to a creamy finish. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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Jumbo Shrimp with Saffron and Tomato

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

28 ounce can Italian peeled tomatoes
20 jumbo raw shrimp
2 shallots
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Drain tomatoes through a strainer and reserve the juice in a bowl. Roughly chop tomatoes on a board place them back in the sieve over the bowl and let them continue to drain for ten minutes.

Devein the shrimp and remove the shells except for the tail section.

Finely chop the shallots.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Lightly season the shrimp with salt and pepper and sear them on both sides until pink (approximately 45 seconds per side). Remove the shrimp from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the shallots to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the liquid from the tomatoes and the saffron threads and continue to cook over medium heat until the sauce is reduced by about half (approximately 6 to 8 minutes).

Place the remaining olive oil, chopped tomatoes and wine in a separate pan and cook over a medium heat until thick (approximately 10 minutes). Add the saffron sauce and shrimp. Mix well and season to taste. Continue to heat for 1 to 2 minutes to heat the ingredients. Do not overcook.

Serve saffron shrimp and sauce over a bed of rice or pasta.