Given its aroma and delicate flavor, saffron has been used in cuisine, medicine, and religion for thousands of years and is the world’s most expensive spice. Cultivated in Iran and parts of the greater Mediterranean region, saffron is made from the bright crimson stigma and styles of the Crocus sativus flower. There about three stigmas per flower and it takes approximately 200-500 stigmas to make a gram of saffron, or 250,000 purple crocus flowers to produce one kilogram of saffron. Harvesting saffron is extremely labor intensive. The flowers only bloom for two or three weeks a year and the threads must be hand picked carefully early in the morning to avoid damage from the hot sun. This recipe uses a small amount of the precious spice to produce an exquisite sauce to pair with seafood. I like to serve it with sauteed shrimp, calamari, or scallops alongside a Melon Avocado Salsa as a starter for a special meal. Treat your friends and family and enjoy!

Sauteed Seafood with Citrus  Saffron Vinaigrette

Ingredients for the Vinaigrette
· 1 cup fresh orange juice
·  1 tablespoon minced shallot
·  1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
·  2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (or White Balsamic)
·  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
·  Kosher salt or sea salt to taste.

Preparation
1. Toast the saffron to release the essential oils and aromas and intensify the flavor. See *Note below.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, shallot, and saffron. Bring to a simmer and cook over moderate heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 25 minutes. Strain into a small bowl (optional) and let cool to room temperature.
3. Whisk in the vinegar and oil and season with salt to taste.

*Note: fold a piece of tin foil into a small rectangle. Turn up the edges so you have a small container you can easily remove from the hot frying pan. Place the foil parcel in a frying pan over medium heat and preheat for 30 seconds to a minute. Add the saffron threads for about 30 seconds.  Alternatively, place the saffron threads on a medium-hot skillet over medium heat for less than a minute shaking the pan constantly to prevent burning the very expensive saffron threads.

As a light starter
Ingredients
· Make the Melon Avocado Salsa
· Make the Citrus Saffron Vinaigrette
· Two or three large (21-30 count) shrimp, or one or two air-chilled sea scallops, or one small calamari tube with tentacles, tube cut into ½ inch rings. Or a combination of the three.
· 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation
1. Sautee the seafood on a hot cast iron pan or other heavy bottom pan: two minutes per side for scallops; one minute per side for large shrimp; one-two minutes for calamari. If you cook too long the seafood becomes rubbery.
2. Spoon the salsa onto a small plate. Spoon a pool of vinaigrette onto the plate next to the salsa. Place the seafood atop the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Enjoy! 

Wine pairing: white wines like Albariño, White Cotes du Rhone, Viognier, Pinot Blanc, Vermentino, Verdejo. Chablis