Vegetarian paella, Spain

Name: Vegetarian paella
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 320 g short-grain rice (bomba or arborio); 1 L hot vegetable stock labelled gluten free; 1 generous pinch of saffron; 1 onion, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 red pepper, sliced; 150 g green beans, cut into lengths; 6 jarred artichoke hearts, halved; 100 g peas; 2 tomatoes, grated; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 sprig of rosemary; Lemon, to serve; Salt and pepper

Method

Steep the saffron in the hot stock. In a wide pan or paella dish, fry the pepper and green beans in the oil for 5 minutes. Set aside.
Soften the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, add the grated tomato and paprika, and reduce for 3 minutes.
Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat. Pour in the saffron stock, season, and arrange the vegetables, artichokes and rosemary on top.
Cook for 10 minutes over high heat, then 10 minutes over low heat without stirring. Add the peas halfway through.
Once the liquid is absorbed, turn up the heat for 1 to 2 minutes to form the socarrat, the caramelised crust at the bottom.
Take off the heat, cover with a tea towel and rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

A paella is never stirred once the stock goes in. That is what lets the rice cook evenly and the bottom turn crisp.

The techniques this recipe uses

Sweat the aromatics
Medium heat, no browning: the onion should turn translucent and sweet, not toasted.
Reduce
Uncovered, water leaves and flavour concentrates. It is done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get the socarrat without burning the rice?

The socarrat forms right at the end, once the liquid has been absorbed: raise the heat for one or two minutes and listen. A steady gentle crackle is a good sign, a burnt smell means take it off at once. A wide thin-based pan reacts faster than a heavy casserole.

Can I use turmeric instead of saffron?

Turmeric gives the yellow colour but none of the aroma, which is what saffron is really for. With no saffron, a paella built on smoked paprika and tomato is more honest than a merely coloured imitation. Either way, saffron should steep in the hot stock to release its scent.

What rice should I use if I have no bomba?

You need a round grain that can drink a lot of stock without collapsing, and arborio works well. Avoid long-grain rice, which stays dry and never takes up the sauce, and do not rinse the rice: its surface starch helps bind the dish.

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Vegetarian paella

Method

The techniques this recipe uses

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Nutrition per serving

Frequently asked questions

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