Saffron defines several Mediterranean classics: Spanish paella, Provençal bouillabaisse and rouille, Milanese risotto, Sicilian arancini, and Greek avgolemono (occasionally). The pattern is the same — bloom, add at the end, restraint.
Paella
The single most famous saffron dish. Bloomed saffron is added with the broth, before the rice goes in. The result: rice that is yellow but not overpowered.
Editor's note
For paella, steep your threads in a ladle of warm broth while you build the sofrito — real saffron gives up its color gradually, and that head start means even tinting through the rice instead of orange streaks where dry threads landed.
Bouillabaisse and rouille
Provençal seafood stew. Saffron in the broth, and again in the rouille — a garlicky red mayonnaise served on toasted bread.
Risotto Milanese
Saffron, butter, parmesan, white wine, arborio. The rice is cooked classically; the saffron bloom is added in the last 5 minutes.
Sicilian arancini
Saffron defines several Mediterranean classics — paella, bouillabaisse, risotto, arancini, and avgolemono — the pattern is the same: bloom, add at the end, restraint.
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