MAKES 1½ TO 2 CUPS ALLIOLI
Pinch saffron threads
1 large egg
Sea salt
3 or 4 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped fine
1 to 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 or 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
First toast the saffron: Fold a sheet of ordinary white copy paper around the saffron to make a loose envelope. Set the envelope in a small skillet over medium heat and toast, turning the paper over with tongs, until the paper starts to brown and crisp along the edges. Remove and shake out the now stiffened saffron threads into a mortar. Grind lightly with a pestle.
Add the egg to the bowl of a food processor and buzz, then add a pinch of salt and the saffron and buzz again. Add the garlic and buzz once more.
Now start to add the oil. Have it ready in a measuring cup with a pourable spout. With the food processor going, slowly pour the oil, a few drops at a time, into the egg. As the mixture starts to come together and mount, increase the drops to a thin thread but be careful not to add too much at once. When ½ to ¾ cup of the oil has been added, add 1 teaspoon of the orange juice, then return to adding more oil. Continue adding oil slowly until you have added 1 cup. Stop the machine and taste the allioli. Add more salt and/or more orange juice, if necessary. Add the orange zest and buzz again. If the allioli is thick enough, remove it from the processor and put it in a small bowl to serve at the table. If it is not quite thick enough, continue adding more oil until you have reached the right consistency.