Delicious Leek and Saffron Sauce Recipe
This leek and saffron sauce is a delicious recipe that allows you to enjoy the properties of these ingredients. But it’s also an adaptable option to accompany meat, chicken, fish, pasta and any vegetable.
Saffron benefits for your health
Saffron is an aromatic spice and a natural colorant, that gives your dishes a distinctive yellow color. Besides being valued in international cuisine, it’s also used as a natural remedy because of its multiple benefits.
Saffron is an excellent ally to good digestion because it stimulates the secretion of saliva and gastric juices. It also contains crocetin, a natural component that stimulates the production of bile and favors the digestion of fats.
Another important benefit is that it acts as a natural hepatoprotection and prevents the formation of stones in your gallbladder. Moreover, it also helps to improve your memory and prevent symptoms of dementia.
Because of its high crocetin content, it’s an antioxidant compound. Saffron helps you fight free radicals and cellular damage. That’s why it’s considered a natural remedy in the fight against cancer, degenerative diseases, and cardiovascular problems.
The leek and its properties
Leek is a vegetable that derives from the genera allium, along with onions, scallions and, of course, garlic. Its delicious texture and bittersweet taste can be useful in many dishes. But, beyond its culinary uses, you can also use the leek for medicinal purposes.
Firstly, the leek is a great source of fiber, which improves your intestinal transit and prevents the effects of constipation. It’s low in calories too, so you can use it as an ally to lose weight healthily.
Just like garlic, the leek has a strong bactericidal action. Its stalk is rich in alliinase, a chemical that reacts when it’s in contact with oxygen, producing another chemical called allicin. Due to its sulfur content, allicin is efficient at preventing and fighting the bacteria that may affect your skin and your respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.
Its high vitamin A content gives leek an important anti-infection action. That’s why it helps to preserve the mucus in the urinary and digestive tracts, besides improving your blood flow. Even more so, the leek also gives you vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, potassium and other essential nutrients to strengthen your immune system.
On the other hand, the humble leek also has a diuretic effect, being effective for the prevention of edemas due to water retention. It also helps to alleviate the symptoms of inflammation and can prevent kidney conditions. What’s more, for people who want to lose weight, leeks are recommended to help detoxify your body and reduce inflammation.
Leek and saffron sauce recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 leeks (cut the white part into slices)
- Saffron strands
- 2 ounces of butter
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/4 of a cup of white wine
- A spoonful of cornstarch
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- In a small pan or saucepan, sauté the chopped leeks in olive oil. Ideally, the slices shouldn’t unravel, so they can bear the cooking and avoid burning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- When the leeks are golden brown, remove them from the heat and put them aside.
- Add butter and wait until it’s melted, then add the white wine. Lower the heat immediately and wait until the liquid has reduced.
- Dissolve the cornstarch with the broth in a different container and then add it to the reduced sauce.
- When your sauce begins to thicken and have consistency, add the saffron strands and turn off the heat. Cover your casserole and leave it there so the flavors and scents of the leek and saffron concentrate before you serve the sauce.
Now you have a delicious leek and saffron sauce to accompany your dishes. This recipe is perfect to pair with red meat, chicken, and fish such as salmon, tuna and hake. You can also serve it with light salads, even classic mashed potatoes or simple brown rice.
