It's one thing to simply an ingredient like saffron to a familiar dish--there are a myriad agreeable ways to add it to foods--and it's another to season a dish with it in a way that seems to create a magical new combination.
Such, it seemed to me, was this soup: Matzo bills enhanced with spinach, and a broth enhanced with saffron. LOVED IT.
Originally from Bon Appetit:
Saffron chicken broth:
6 pounds chicken wings
16 cups water
1 1/2 pounds onions, quartered
6 bay leaves
1 tblsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp saffron threads
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
Spinach matzo balls:
4 eggs
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup unsalted matzo meal
1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
For the broth, combine the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, partially cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain broth into another pot. Spoon 1/4 c of the chicken fat and place it into a medium bowl, add 1/4 c broth. Cool fat mixture and reserve for matzo balls. Remove enough meat from the chicken to measure a generous cup. Finely mince and reserve (for matzo balls). Chill remaining broth until ready to use.
For the matzo balls, whisk eggs, salt and pepper into chicken fat mixture. Mix in matzo meal, then spinach and reserved minced chicken. Cover and chill until firm, at least one hour.
Bring large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Using wet hands and about 2 tablespoons mixture for each, shape matzo mixture into 16 balls; drop into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer matzo balls to shallow dish. Chill if you're not going to use right away.
Skim any fat from top of broth, bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, add cooked matzo balls and simmer until heated through, about ten minutes.
My notes: I used a whole chicken. Also, I added white pepper to the matzo balls and a shake of nutmeg.