Recipes with saffron, Part III

1. Creamy pumpkin and saffron soup with roasted seeds

2. Risotto Milanese with mushroom garnish (for gold lovers)

3. Saffron and Pear Crumble (The Golden Dessert)

The leaves are turning color, the days are getting shorter, and the craving for comfort food is growing! Do you know that feeling? Suddenly, all you crave is warming, rich flavors. And that's exactly where our favorite, red gold, comes in.

Saffron is not only the most expensive spice in the world, but also a real mood booster – perfect for melancholic autumn days! But how exactly do you bring this exquisite aroma into your autumn cooking?

We have three delicious recipes for you that prove: saffron can do more than just paella and risotto! Try them out and let us know which one has become your new favorite autumn dish!

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1. Creamy pumpkin and saffron soup with roasted seeds

The question is: Pumpkin soup is delicious, but doesn't it get boring after a while? We say: No, if you add the saffron twist! The earthy, slightly sweet saffron goes incredibly well with the sweetness of the pumpkin.

What you need (for 4 servings):

• 800g Hokkaido pumpkin
• 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic
• 500ml vegetable broth
• 100ml coconut milk
• 6 saffron threads

• Important: Don't forget to prepare the saffron threads!

Here's how:

1. Preparation: Remove the seeds from the pumpkin (the peel can stay on) and dice it. Sauté the onion and garlic.
2. Saffron trick: Soak the 6 saffron threads in 50ml of warm broth for at least 20 minutes.
3. Cooking: Sauté the pumpkin, onion, and garlic in a little oil, then deglaze with the remaining broth and the saffron liquid. Simmer until the pumpkin is soft.
4. To finish: Purée, stir in coconut milk, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.

2. Risotto Milanese with mushroom garnish (for gold lovers)

Risotto is the ultimate comfort food. And the Milanese version with saffron is the queen of risottos. When autumn brings us mushrooms, we combine them in an unbeatable way!

What you need:

• 300g risotto rice
• 1 onion
• 1 glass of white wine (to drink yourself or to season risotto :-)
• 800 ml vegetable broth
• 8 saffron threads
• 50g Parmesan
• 200g mixed autumn mushrooms (e.g. chanterelles or oyster mushrooms)

Here's how:

1. Soak the saffron: Give the 8 saffron threads a bath in 50ml of warm broth for at least 30 minutes – this way they will release their full gold.
2. Risotto base: Sauté the onion, add the rice and cook until translucent. Deglaze with wine.
3. Mushroom tip: In parallel, sauté the mushrooms in a little butter until browned and set aside.
4. Golden liquid: Add all of the saffron broth to the rice. Then add the remaining warm broth a ladleful at a time until the risotto is creamy.
5. Finishing: Just before serving, stir in the grated Parmesan and the sautéed mushrooms. Enjoy!

3. Saffron and Pear Crumble (The Golden Dessert)

Who says saffron doesn't belong in dessert? The combination of the tart pear, the buttery crumble, and the slightly floral, warm saffron is simply heavenly!

What you need:

• Filling: 3 ripe pears, 2 tbsp sugar, 4 saffron threads, 1 tbsp lemon juice .
• Crumble: 100 g flour , 50 g sugar , 50 g cold butter .

Here's how:

1. Pear base: Peel and dice the pears. Dissolve the 4 saffron threads in a little hot water (at least 15 minutes ). Mix the diced pears with the sugar, lemon juice, and the saffron water.
2. Knead the crumble: Knead all the crumble ingredients together to form a crumbly dough.
3. Baking: Place the pear mixture in a small baking dish. Sprinkle the crumble topping over it.
4. Enjoy: Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (top and bottom heat) for about 25 minutes , until the crumble topping is golden brown. Perfect with vanilla ice cream!

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Give it a try and let me know which of your kitchen friends you surprise with these golden autumn dishes! Saffron in the kitchen – now it's time to get cozy!