Chicken Stew with Fennel & Saffron Recipe

Ingredients
4 tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded and chopped
2 large onions, quartered
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 large fennel bulbs with feathery leaves attached, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup Pernod licorice- flavored aperitif
2 pinches saffron
1/3 cup fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
Salt
Black pepper
4 chicken legs with thighs attached, skin removed
1 pound boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups chicken stock


Instructions
The day before: combine the tomatoes, onions, garlic, fennel, olive oil,
Pernod, saffron, herbs and seasonings in a large covered casserole. Stir
to blend and add the chicken, stir to coat the chicken.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours to blend the seasonings.

At least 1 hour before you begin to prepare the dish, remove the chicken
from the refrigerator.

Stew the chicken in its marinade, covered, over medium heat, stirring
from time to time, for about 30 minutes.

Add the potatoes and chicken stock, simmer until the potatoes are
cooked (30 to 45 minutes).

Taste for seasoning and serve in warmed shallow soup bowls.

Yield: 4 servings

Fish Broth with Oysters and Saffron Recipe

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 carrots
3 stalks celery
2 small leeks
6 parsley sprigs
2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp juniper, berries
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
3 pounds fish bones and trimmings
1 cup dry white wine
6 cups cold water (approximately)
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
4 clams
8 oysters, shucked
1 ounce mung bean threads (cellophane noodles)
8 radicchio leaves
1/4 tsp saffron threads


Instructions
Soak the mung bean threads in hot water for twenty minutes. Drain, and
cut into 2-inch lengths. Set aside.

Split the carrots, celery and leeks lengthwise in half. Clean, peel, and
slice the vegetables into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Melt the butter in a stockpot
over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, leeks, parsley, garlic,
bay leaves and juniper berries, tossing the mixture well to coat with
butter. When the vegetables begin to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium
low and cover. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomato to the stockpot and stir for 1 minute. Add the fish bones
and trimmings and white wine. Cook this mixture for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add cold water to cover and raise heat to medium high.
Bring to a boil, skimming all of the froth from the surface as it forms.
Immediately lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 35 to 40
minutes. Strain the mixture, pressing the solids firmly to extract all liquid.
Discard the solids. Add salt to taste.

Heat 4 cups fish broth in a saucepan. Steam clams separately in small
amount of broth just until shells open, removing each shell as it opens.
Transfer to 4 warm soup bowls; strain clam broth into warm fish broth,
avoiding any grit at the bottom. Add oysters to fish broth and cook gently
over low heat, uncovered, just until edges curl, about 1 minute. Place 2
oysters in each bowl. Ladle warm broth into bowls and add 2 tablespoons
mung bean threads. Add radicchio leaves and saffron and serve.

Yield: 4 servings


Golden Saffron Cake Recipe

Ingredients
1 Tbsp butter,softened
2/3 cup non-fat milk
1 tsp saffron threads
1-1/3 cups cake flour
1-3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup thawed frozen non-fat egg substitute OR 1 large whole egg
2 Tbsp rose water
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp chopped pistachio nuts


Instructions
Brush a 9-inch cake pan with butter. Combine 2 tablespoons non-fat milk
and saffron threads in small saucepan. Heat and stir just to simmering.
Remove from heat.

Sift together cake flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
Stir together saffron mixture, remaining non-fat milk, egg substitute, rose
water and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Quickly stir into dry ingredients just until
blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees F. about 15
minutes or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 5
minutes. Combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar and water in small saucepan.
Heat to simmering. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon
vanilla.

With skewer, poke holes evenly over entire surface of cake. Spoon syrup
evenly over top of cake. Sprinkle with pistachios. Cut into
diamond-shaped pieces, baklava-style.

Yield: 10 servings

Shahi Korma (Lamb in Saffron & Cardamom Cream) Recipe

Ingredients
8 cloves garlic
1 (1-inch) cube of fresh ginger
5 Tbsp blanched slivered almonds
1 cup water or beef broth
7 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 pounds boned lamb or beef (1-inch cubes)
10 whole cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
1 (1-inch) stick of cinnamon
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground black cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1-1/4 tsp salt
1-1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp garam masala


Instructions
Put the garlic, ginger, almonds, and 6 tablespoons water in a blender and
blend until you have a paste.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy, preferable non-stick pot or wok over a
medium-high heat. When hot. put in just enough meat pieces so they lie,
uncrowded in a single layer. Brown the meat pieces on all sides, then
remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl. Brown all the
meat this way.

Put the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon into the hot oil. Within seconds
the cloves will expand. Now put in the onions. Stir and fry the onions until
they turn a brownish color. Turn the heat down to medium. Put in the
paste from the blender as well as the coriander, cumin, and cayenne. Stir
and fry this mixture for 3 to 4 minutes or until it too has browned
somewhat.

Put in the meat cubes as well as any liquid that might have accumulated
in the meat bowl, the salt, the cream, and rest of the water or broth (a bit
more for beef). Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer lamb
for 1 hour and beef for 2 hours. Stir frequently during this cooking period.
Skim off any fat that floats to the top. Sprinkle in the garam masala and
mix.

Yield: 6 servings

Lemon Saffron Bread Recipe

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch powdered saffron
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg


Instructions
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Dissolve saffron in hot
water; blend with lemon peel and juice.

Cream shortening; add sugar gradually, beating until thoroughly blended.
Add egg and beat until light and fluffy.

Add dry ingredients and liquids alternately, mixing just until blended after
each addition. Turn into well greased and floured cooker bake pan or
2-pound coffee can. Cover bake pan with lid or coffee can with 6 layers of
paper toweling. Set in crock pot. Cover and cook on high 2 to 3 hours.
Remove; let cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan.

Yield: 12 servings