Vegetable Paella
This paella is richly flavored with sofrito, saffron, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and a rainbow of vegetables. You, too, can learn to make this iconic Spanish dish.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large leek, finely chopped
- 12 oz (340g) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- ½ head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 bulb fennel, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ pound (225g) green beans
- ½ pound (225g) asparagus
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (120mL) dry white wine
- 1 pint (340g) cherry tomatoes, or 1 cup whole canned San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (or 1 teaspoon hot paprika, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika)
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce to ½ or ¼ teaspoon if you are sensitive to spice)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups (450g) Bomba or Arborio rice
- Very thinly-sliced lemon (rind included) from one small lemon, discarding any seeds
- 1 cup (170g) green peas
- Approximately 6 cups (1 ½ liters) Simple, Flavorful, Umami Vegetable Stock; Rich, Delicious, and Worth It Chicken Stock; or any high-quality stock
- 2 thinly-sliced green onions
- ⅓ cup (20g) freshly chopped parsley
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- In a large skillet (not the pan in which you will make your paella), cook the vegetables. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat, and add the chopped leeks. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Increase heat to medium, and add the shiitake mushrooms, cooking for 2 minutes more. Now add the asparagus, cauliflower, fennel, red pepper, and green beans. Season with sea salt, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 2
- In a saucepan, begin to heat the stock to a low simmer.
Step 3
- Now make the sofrito. Coat a large paella pan with the vegetable oil, and heat the burner to medium-low. Add the onion, and sauté for 5-6 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, and cook for another minute or two, then add the tomatoes and wine. Simmer until cooked down, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the paprika, saffron, cayenne, and salt. Cook for another 7-10 minutes.
Step 4
- Add the rice, and cook it in the sofrito for 3-5 minutes. Spread the rice evenly over the surface of the pan. Now pour the simmering broth over the rice. You will add the vegetables later to avoid overcooking them.
Step 5
- Simmer, uncovered, for around 25 minutes. Once the rice is mostly cooked, but still has a slight crunchy bite to it, layer on the cooked vegetables and the lemon. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until rice is cooked through, adding the peas in the last 2 minutes of cooking. To obtain a crust (soccarat) on the bottom of your paella, review the next step.
Step 6
- Paella should not be creamy like a risotto, and needs to dry out fully on the bottom to create the desired crispy, brown crust at its base (the socarrat). To obtain a crust on the bottom of your pan, turn your burner up to medium-high heat during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. It helps to use an authentic paella pan, as its unique construction will help ensure a crispy bottom. Using canola oil, as directed, will also help, as it tolerates high heat better than olive oil. Paella aficionados listen carefully for a pleasant crackling sound in the last minutes of cooking, which indicates browning, but pay attention and remove the pan if you smell the rice burning.
Step 7
- Once you are satisfied that your paella is done, garnish with scallions, parsley, and remaining olive oil, and serve hot.
