Recipes

There are three key points to success when cooking with saffron. First, the saffron needs to be of good quality and fresh. Before making any of the following recipes, throw out any dusty old saffron that has been languishing at the back of your cupboard and buy some fresh stuff – you'll be amazed at the aroma! Second, the correct amount needs to be used; too much is not pleasant, too little means it’s overwhelmed by other ingredients. Third, saffron needs time to give up its colour and flavour.

Try Norfolk Saffron in the recipes below!

Saffron RISOTTO

Just the job for a quick and easy meal, especially in winter. 

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS
  • 30-40 Norfolk Saffron threads (either natural saffron or smoked saffron) 
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 75g butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 300g Arborio rice
  • 50g freshy-grated Parmesan
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METHOD
  • Grind the saffron in a pestle & mortar, add a little of the stock into the mortar and infuse for at least 20 minutes.
  • Gently fry the chopped onion in half the butter until golden.
  • Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter.
  • Add the non-saffron stock a little at a time, stirring constantly until it has been absorbed. Then add more stock and repeat. Use the saffron-infused stock last. There's no need to strain out any little pieces of saffron - just add them to the rice with the stock.
  • When all the stock has been absorbed, stir in the rest of the butter and the Parmesan.
  • Season and serve very hot.

Saffron DINGERS

These simple cakes are heavenly straight out of the oven. They are traditionally made at Easter in Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and the surrounding areas on the East Coast, but are only called saffron dingers by some Lowestoft families. No-one really knows why! 
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INGREDIENTS FOR 10
  • 250g self-raising Norfolk Saffron Flour 
  • 125g butter, softened
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 125g dried fruit (currants, or sultanas, or 50:50 currants and mixed peel)
  • 1 egg
  • a very little milk

METHOD
  • Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
  • Rub the butter into the Saffron Flour.
  • Mix in the sugar and dried fruit. 
  • Beat the egg, add a little milk and mix to make a stiff dough. It's important not to make the mixture too slack otherwise the dingers will spread out during cooking.
  • Spoon out 10 even blobs onto a greased baking sheet, and bake for 10-15 minutes until done.
  • Split and butter them whilst still hot.