“I’d always thought of saffron as one of the most feminine, gentle and prestigious spices in the Middle Eastern kitchen. I remember softly walking through the saffron fields in Yazd, being so careful not to step on any of the little saffron flower bulbs, watching old men and women crouched over, with hands that were as worn and cracked as the dry earth of the Iranian desert, seeing the love and dedication they put into picking every strand of saffron by hand. The experience will stay with me forever and makes me appreciate this beautiful product even more.” Shane Delia, Author.
Serves 4
Preparation time 25 minutes
Cooking time 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 peaches
pinch of saffron threads
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves, torn
150 g (5½ oz/2⁄3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
200 ml (7 fl oz) saffron water
150 g (5½ oz) saffron fairy floss (pashmak)
METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).
2 Place the peaches in a baking dish and season with the saffron, vanilla, cinnamon and bay leaf. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and pour over the saffron water. Roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the peaches feel soft and cooked through when pierced with a sharp knife.
3 Place the peaches on four serving plates. Drizzle over the pan juices, add some saffron fairy floss and serve.
Cooks tips
You can cut the peaches in half, if you like, or use another stone fruit. Saffron fairy floss is available from specialist Middle Eastern grocery shops.
Recipes and Images from Spice Journey by Shane Delia, Published by Murdoch Books
