Cooking advice needed. Saw a Jaime Oliver fish recipe that included saffron. Not available at any markets nearby. Trying to avoid a special trip downtown or to Whole Foods. Any suggestions?
If you are near Trader Joe’s they sell a tiny bottle of Spanish Saffron for around $4. A small amount goes a long way. If you are using it for color and not flavor, go with a dash of turmeric, or at a pinch, yellow food coloring.
How about turmeric or cardamom? Maybe even paprika.
Annatto or turmeric. Or if available at your market, Goya Sazon.
so I googled and got this answer: What tastes similar to saffron?
Turmeric is a member of the ginger family is the most widely recommended saffron substitute. It is similar enough that unscrupulous spice merchants have used it to adulterate real saffron. It provides a yellow color similar to that of saffron (when cooked).
My Abuela (grandmother) used Bijol in place of saffron. Bijol is quite similar to Goya Sazon, which @skieurope suggested.