This dish provides an endless supply of nutrients. For eyes, nose and taste buds, it’s mild enough with just a hint of smoky flavour, yet soothing to the stomach because it’s minus the spicy and typically fatty chorizo and crushed red capsicums. Add some cooked and julienned organic chicken or a few prawns if you have a craving for an extra boost of protein.
Vegetarian Paella
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp (40 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-sized onion, diced
- 1 red capsicum, cored and cut into strips
- 1 small fennel bulb, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup (250 ml) sprouted short grain organic brown rice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) saffron, crushed
- 1 tsp (5 ml) turmeric
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) sea salt
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock, hot
- 1 cup (250 ml) frozen shelled edamame beans, thawed
- 1 cup (250 ml) halved grape tomatoes
- 6 oz (170 ml) grilled artichokes, quartered
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) pitted Greek olives
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) coarsely chopped coriander
Nutrition
Per serving:
- kilojoules1666
- protein12g
- fat16g
- saturated fat2g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates54g
- sugars4g
- fibre8g
- sodium458mg
Directions
01
Lemon, cut into wedges
02
Warm oil in large, wide paella or frying pan. Add onion and sauteu0301 until soft. Add red capsicum strips and fennel and sauteu0301 for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and sauteu0301 for 1 minute. Stir in bay leaves and rice. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes to coat rice. Deglaze pan with sherry vinegar. Sprinkle with seasonings and fold in. Add hot stock. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until rice is cooked and most of the stock has been absorbed, about 20 to 30 minutes. Do not stir.
03
Turn off heat, leaving pan on warm burner. Scatter edamame beans, tomatoes and artichokes over top and gently tuck into hot rice. Add a little more salt to taste, if you wish. Cover tightly with lid and let rest for about 10 minutes.
04
To serve, place a generous ladle into each of 4 serving dishes and scatter each with a couple of olives, chopped coriander and lemon wedge.
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
