''Saffron has been one of the world’s most prized spices for millennia. It comes from the gently dried stigmas of a mauve species of crocus flower – Crocus sativus – and it takes more than 1,000 flowers to produce just 100g saffron. Little wonder it’s more expensive per gram than gold. It’s revered in the kitchen for its subtle yet distinctively earthy, hay-like flavours, as well as for the deep yellow colour it imparts to food. You have to be careful how much you use, though, or it can taste medicinal.
RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING DEBBIE MAJOR PHOTOGRAPHS ANDREW MONTGOMERY STYLING POLLY WEBB-WILSON