Recipe
In Valencia, Spain, paella is often cooked in large pans over an open fire. You can translate the flavors to your own home kitchen by cooking in a large saute or frying pan. This version is plant-based and allows you to skip the work of prepping meats and seafood, too.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron, crumbled
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups paella or risotto rice (or medium- or short-grain white rice)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered
- 1 15-oz. canned navy beans, drained
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Preparation
- In a large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onion until clear and soft, about 5 minutes. While the onion cooks, measure the vegetable stock or water and crumble the saffron into the liquid to infuse.
- To the pan, add the garlic and peppers and stir for a minute, then add the rice and tomato paste and paprika, and stir to mix well. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, for about 2 minutes. Add the stock mixture, salt and pepper to the rice mixture and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low after it comes to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomatoes, zucchini, artichokes, navy beans and peas and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Test the rice. If it is still a little crunchy, cover the pan and take off the heat to steam for 5 minutes or so. Serve hot.
Tips & Notes
There are rice varieties specifically for paella: bomba or risotto (carnaroli). If these varieties are not available at your co-op, you can substitute most short- or medium-grained rice.
Nutritional Information
360 calories, 5 g. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 640 mg. sodium, 69 g. carbohydrate, 8 g. fiber , 11 g. protein