Denise says:

If you are looking for an impressive side dish for duck, chicken, beef or lamb stew or even fish, then this potato bake is the perfect solution as it presents the potatoes in an unusual way. It uses saffron, to provide a beautiful aromatic flavour and orangey red colour that penetrates the potatoes as it cooks. Saffron consists of dried stigmas of saffron crocus - it takes about 80,000 hand picked crocuses to produce 500g of spice – so it is hardly surprising that it is the world’s most expensive spice! I recommend buying in small quantities and buying fresh as the aroma does weaken with time.

When cooking with saffron do not add directly to a dish – always infuse into hot water for at least 5 minutes before blending as this ensures its pungent flavour and vivid even colouring. Add the soaking water together with the threads. Never fry saffron in hot oil or butter as this will ruin the flavour.
I have used large potatoes but unpeeled new potatoes are great alternatives and cook quicker.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 ¼ hours
Serves: 6 people

Ingredients


Method

Ingredients:

4 threads of saffron
600ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
12 medium- sized Romano or desiree potatoes – peeled
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic – peeled and finely chopped
15g fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste

Method

1)Pre-heat the oven to 190 C/ 375F / Gas mark 5.
2)Soak the saffron threads in 2 tablespoons of the hot stock for 10 minutes and then stir in the remaining stock.
3)Cut the potatoes into thin slices, keeping the slices of each potato together.
4)Lightly oil a large ovenware dish. Place the potatoes in the greased dish fanning out the slices in a single layer.
5)Spoon the remaining olive oil over the potatoes and season with the garlic and thyme. Pour the hot saffron stock over the potatoes.
6)Bake uncovered for 1 – 1 ¼ hours basting 2 -3 times until the liquid is completely absorbed and the potatoes are crisp and golden brown.

To serve The Stylish Way: Sprinkle with some sprigs of fresh thyme and a little sea salt.
Tagged in: Family Cooking, Potatoes, Shabbat, Vegetarian, Yom Tov