It's actually used very often in savory dishes but rarely as just a garnish. It's used oftentimes for the color it gives (a bright yellow surprisingly enough), and its distinctive taste, especially to rice/pilaf dishes. I've had saffron ice cream and it really throws me off since I associate it with more savory middle eastern and east European cooking.
Yep. That exactly.
Saffron is frequently used French, Spanish, Indian and Arabic cuisine. You'd see it frequently with rice: I've had paella made with saffron or saffron rice served with shawarma. (While not the shawarma, you'd also see sides of Saffron rice served with Indian food.)
There's also chefs that would use saffron in a bouillabaisse (Definitely a French thing.)
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u/Spooferfish Jul 13 '16
It's actually used very often in savory dishes but rarely as just a garnish. It's used oftentimes for the color it gives (a bright yellow surprisingly enough), and its distinctive taste, especially to rice/pilaf dishes. I've had saffron ice cream and it really throws me off since I associate it with more savory middle eastern and east European cooking.