Recipe: Rice with Chicken, Saffron and Almonds

Since the time of early Egypt, saffron has been the spice of pharaohs, maharajas and kings. The price of saffron at $100 an ounce is often compared to gold.

The intensive hand labor is what makes saffron the most expensive spice in the world. The tiny red threads must be hand-picked from the center of the crocus sativus.Using fine tweezers, a harvester pulls three red stigma threads from each flower, leaving behind the yellow stamens, which have no taste. To produce one ounce of saffron, harvesters must pick the stigmas from 6,000 crocuses. Once cured and dried, the long threads of top-grade saffron are bright red, a color that is retained even after storage.

But don't worry, you won't have to spend a fortune to enjoy the exotic taste of saffron and the brilliant yellow color it gives dishes because saffron infuses its flavor in very small amounts. A 50-cent pinch makes four servings of classic saffron rice. The Arabs introduced saffron to Spain around the Eighth century. Now the world's finest saffron grows in la Mancha, one of Spain's seven saffron-producing provinces. Look for premium Spanish saffron in glass tubes or clear plastic containers.

To release the flavor from the dried stigma, or threads, crush them a little before adding them to a recipe. If your recipe includes water, boil a little of it and pour it over the saffron, allowing it to steep 15 minutes to an hour. You can also buy powdered saffron. After a year or so saffron begins to lose it potency. So, if you've had some saffron in your spice rack for many years — which is the often the case with many of us — you should just toss it.

Rice with Chicken, Saffron and Almonds

Makes 6 servings

2 chicken breasts (about a pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1/2 cup blanched almonds

2 cups extra-long grain white rice, soaked in warm lightly salted water for 20 minutes

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1/3 cup of warm water

4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dillweed

1. Season chicken cubes with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium-size skillet heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and saute the chicken cubes on all sides until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. In a small skillet, heat 1/3 cup oil, add the blanched almonds and fry for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until light brown or pink. Remove nuts with a slotted spoon and drain well on a double layer of paper towel to remove all excess oil.

3. Drain the rice.

4. In a large skillet, heat the butter and saute the rice for a few minutes, stir in the soaked saffron with the soaking water and the chicken broth. Mix well, season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add the cooked chicken cubes and bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and holes appear on the surface.

6. Remove from heat, place a double layer of paper towel over the rice, and cover the pan. Let stand for 10 minutes, then mix well.

7. Arrange nuts on the bottom of a 12-inch round shallow dish, then spoon the rice over the nuts, pressing down gently with the back of a wooden spoon. Turn upside down on a round serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh dillweed and serve as a main course. Adapted from "The Turkish Cookbook, Regional Recipes and Stories" by Nur Ilkin and Sheilah Kaufman.

Per serving: 555 calories (43 percent from fat), 26.4 g fat, (6.7 g saturated fat, 13 g monounsaturated), 69 g cholesterol, 26.5 g protein, 52.3 g carbohydrates, 2.1 g fiber, 666 mg sodium.