[FF] Vegetable Paella recipe

Food Forum - Vegetable Paella recipe

I tried Paella the first time in Spain about 20 years ago and it was so delicious, I had to learn to make it. I made mine with fake sausage, but you can use real sausage if you like. Pre-cook the real sausage and leave the juices in the skillet to cook the onions and peppers. I can't afford Saffron so I am using Turmeric, which has the nice yellow color and a delicious flavor. Substitute Saffron if you wish, but research how to use it first. I'm using shallots, peppers, tomatoes and parsley from the garden and home made vegetable stock as well for the best taste possible. I hope you try this and enjoy it.


Vegetable Paella

in large skillet (I used my 12" Cast Iron) over medium heat add:
1-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (not extra virgin) or peanut oil or corn oil...etc.
1-1/2 cups of Shallots or 1 medium onion - diced or sliced thin the long way.
1 Bell Pepper (Red, Yellow or Orange have the best flavor, but Green will work) Diced or thin sliced the long way.
Salt veggies with a few pinches and cook 5 minutes until tender over medium heat.
Stir in:
1-1/2 teaspoons of Turmeric
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (for the nice smoky flavor)
3/4 teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon of Salt +/-
1 Cup Arborio or Valencia Rice (must be a short grain rice)
1-1/2 Cups of Tomatoes seeded and diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
Toast 3 minutes or so then add:
2-1/4 to 2-1/2 cups of Stock (I use vegetable stock, but chicken stock would be great too)
2 Bay Leaves
Cook over medium low heat without stirring while rotating pan 1/4 turn every few minutes until the liquid is absorbed (30 minutes or so). Add meat after 20 minutes. When the liquid is mostly absorbed check the bottom to see if it has crisped up with a crispy caramel colored bottom layer of rice. If not crank up the heat a bit and continue rotating til it is crispy. Remove Bay Leaves. Turn off heat.
Then add:
1 cup of Thawed Peas
Handful of Fresh Parsley Chopped
Handful of sliced Olives (optional)
Handful or two of Artichoke hearts from a jar or can (optional)
Cover and set 10 minutes to steam the topping and for the rice to finish cooking.

Serves 4 fat people or 6 underweight people.

How do you make it?

Great vegan recipe, I like it since I'm lactose intolerant. One addition I would make is saffron.

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I pre-cook the vegetables (peppers, onions, garlic etc.) in what is called a sofrito. Basically cook them over a low to medium heat in a pan for about 45 minutes until you get a deep golden colour. You can make more than you need and freeze the remainder for later. Using a Sofrito enhances the flavour and doesn't require high heat on the grill to cook the veg.

Paella's are great on the barbecue. You can can get a nice smokey flavour and its easier to get an even heat than on an indoor stove top unless you have a special burner.

If you are a non-veggie rendering chorizo in the pan adds to the flavour, but if you have Spanish friends they will probably tell you it's a non-no, especially if you also add saffron.

Oh, and experts recommend using a low protein broth (even just water) as high protein content increases the chance of burning the rice layer instead of getting it nice and crispy.

Nice addition to the Ina library. Recipes are easy for the most part and elevated comfort food.

Roasted Vegetable Paella

Source: Ina Garten - Cooking for Jeffrey

serves 6

There is an amazing professional cookware store in Paris called Dehillerin. Decades ago, I bought an enormous copper paella pan there and my sweet husband sat on the plane home with this huge pan on his lap!

2 pounds Holland bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange), cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
2 pounds fennel bulbs, tops and cores removed, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 pound baby eggplants, unpeeled, sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
1 large red onion, ¾-inch-diced
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (¾-inch-diced) yellow onions (2 onions)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1½ cups Spanish paella rice, such as Calasparra (see note)
1(12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, undrained, such as Mancini
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (not regular paprika)
5 to 6 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
3 ounces freshly grated aged Manchego cheese (see note)
½ cup pitted Manzanilla or Cerignola olives, halved
½ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Position two racks evenly spaced in the oven.

“Put the bell peppers, fennel, eggplants, and red onion in a large bowl, add ½ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper, and toss. Divide the vegetables between two sheet pans and spread in one layer. Roast for 45 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a 14- to 16-inch paella pan or large (11-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add the yellow onions and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and saffron and cook for one minute. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the rice with oil. Place the jarred peppers (including their liquid) and paprika in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until pureed. Pour the mixture into the paella pan, stirring to combine, and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of the hot stock and 2 teaspoons salt and cook uncovered over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly absorbed, as you would cook risotto. Continue to cook the rice over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring in 1 cup of hot stock at a time whenever the liquid is absorbed, until the rice is al dente.

Add the vegetables to the paella, add one more cup of stock, and stir carefully. If the paella is dry, add more hot stock. Off the heat, stir in the Manchego cheese, olives, and scallions. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.