All puffed up about paella
A flavourful vegetarian take on this Spanish one-pan passion
Paella is a flavoured rice dish that originated in Valencia, Spain. It’s named after the wide and fairly shallow pan it’s cooked in. If you don’t have a paella pan, you can buy one at a wellstocked kitchenware store. You could also simply use a large skillet to make paella.
Short- and medium-grain types of Spanish rice, such as Bomba, are the best choice for paella, as they absorb moisture well and have a nice bite when cooked. You’ll find them at some Mediterranean-style food stores.
If you can’t, in my recipe I give the option to use risotto rice or long-grain white rice.
GRILLED VEGETABLE PAELLA
There’s a rainbow of colour in this vegetable-rich dish.
Prep. time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: About 40 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
For the grilled vegetables: 8 slices zucchini, 1/2 inch thick 8 onion wedges, 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick 6 medium mushrooms, each halved 8 wedges red or yellow bell pepper, or a mix of both, 1 inch thick 2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat your grill to medium-high.
Place the vegetables and mushrooms in a bowl and toss with the oil, salt and pepper.
Grill the vegetables and mushrooms one to two minutes per side, or until lightly charred and just tender.
Set the vegetables and mushroom on a platter and set aside until needed.
For the paella: 1 tsp (5 mL) saffron threads 2 Tbsp (30 mL) boiling water 3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped onion 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper 2 ripe on-the-vine tomatoes, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) paprika 1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp cumin 4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock, plus more if needed 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) Spanish rice (such as Bomba), Italian-style risotto rice (such as Arborio), or long-grain white rice Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 14 oz (398 mL) can artichoke hearts, each quartered 16 to 20 black or green olives 1/4 cup (60 mL) frozen peas, thawed 1 Tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley
Crumble the saffron into a small bowl, pour in the boiling water and let steep 5 minutes.
Place the oil in a paella pan or large skillet and set over medium heat.
Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano and cumin and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until the mixture is very tender and almost sticky.
Add the rice and cook and stir 2 minutes more.
Mix in the 4 cups of stock, steeped saffron, salt and pepper.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is firm-tender and still slightly wet (add a little more stock if it is not).
Nestle the artichokes, olives and grilled vegetables into the rice.
Cover and cook 5 minutes more, or until the vegetables are heated through. Sprinkle on the peas, cover and let the paella rest a few minutes off the heat before serving, sprinkled with parsley. Eric Akis is the author of the book Everyone Can Cook Everything.