In Sardinia, Saffron is known as "Red Gold." Our island is a top producer of high-quality saffron (PDO), specifically from the San Gavino Monreale area. It is expensive (up to €30 per gram) because it takes 150 flowers hand-picked at dawn to make just one gram.
⚠️ Avoid Scams: Be careful with cheap yellow powder sold as saffron. It is often mixed with Turmeric or Safflower. It colors the food yellow but lacks the unique aroma. Villa Malvasio Tip: Always buy whole Stigmas (threads). Seeing the red threads is the only guarantee of purity.
The Recipe: Lamb with Red Gold
Ingredients:
- 1 Kg Sardinian Lamb (pieces)
- Sardinian Saffron Stigmas (0.3g)
- 2 Fresh Tomatoes + 2 Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Garlic, Parsley, Olive Oil, Broth
Procedure:
- Brown: Sauté garlic and parsley in oil. Add lamb and brown well over high heat.
- Cook: Add chopped fresh and dried tomatoes. Lower heat, cover, and cook for 40 mins (add broth if needed).
- Infuse: Steep saffron threads in a cup of warm water for 20 mins.
- Finish: Add the saffron water to the meat only in the last 5 minutes. Do not overboil to preserve the scent.
