Vegetarian paella

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Vegetarian paella, with roasted garlic garnish

Vegetarian paella - about this recipe

A vegetarian version of the traditional paella valenciana.

Servings

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• Uses::Garlic, to taste. finely diced
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 aubergine, sliced, sprinkled with a little salt and drained
• 125 g mushrooms, sliced
• 100 g peas
• 100 g fine green beans
• 100 g small broad beans
• 500 ml paella rice
• 2 tins tomatoes, drained or tomate frito, to taste
• 1 ltre warm or hot water or vegetable stock
• A few strands of saffron, crushed and dissolved in a little warm water
• 4-6 artichoke hearts
• 1 jar preserved red peppers, cut inti strips
• Parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or a paellera.
2. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper and and allow to soften and colour slightly.
3. Dice the aubergine and add to pan, allowing to sauté for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the peas, fine beans, broad beans and mushrooms and simmer over a medium heat for a few minutes.
5. Stir in the rice and sauté for a minute or two.
6. Add the tomatoes and mix well, stirring the rice at the bottom to make sure that it does not stick.
7. Stir in the water and the saffron and simmer uncovered over a low heat.
8. When nearly done add the artichoke hearts and strips of red pepper.
9. When it is cooked, cover and allow to stand for about 5 minutes before serving.
10. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Variations

Use any vegetables you like, in any quantities.

Chef's notes

It is best to use proper paella rice, eg Bahía or Bomba (DOP Valencia). I think you can get this in Waitrose and Tesco. Jars of preserved peppers such as Pimientos del Piquillo de Lodosa (DOP Navarra) can be obtained from delicatessens. In the absence of Spanish ones, Lidl sells a fairly respectable Turkish alternative.