Veggie Paella

Well this may be far from authentic but it is still delicious and 100 percent worth sharing with you guys. It’s an excellent base for adapting to your personal tastes or to what you already have in your fridge. Think of it as a loose recipe and add and subtract as you like. The saffron gives it that special pazzazz so is worth forking out the cash for.
The recipe is naturally gluten free and also happens to be vegan. Yay! I added a chopped up veggie snag to Dylan’s, chorizo to Clancy’s, and served my own on the side of calamari. All worthy suggestions.
If you have fancy expensive Spanish rice then use that. If not you can use basmati (that’s what I had, it was excellent).

Veggie Paella

• 2 cups basmati rice (or see above)
• 1 L veg stock
• 1 – 2 Spanish onions, peeled and sliced into half moons
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green capsicum, sliced into strips
• 1 red capsicum, sliced into strips
• handful or 2 of green beans, top and tailed and cut in half
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• few saffron strands, soaked in splash of boiling water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tin cherry tomatoes (or chopped)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• handful olives, chopped
• handful chopped parsley
• squeeze of 1 -2 lemons

1. In a large wide frypan, fry onion and capsicum in olive oil over medium heat. Once onion is translucent, stir through garlic and spices.
2. Quickly add the rice and a few big pinches of salt. Stir until rice is coated.
3. Add beans, tin tomatoes and stock and stir again. Bring to the boil then turn heat to low.
4. Leave to simmer gently uncovered. Do not stir. Cook for 15 minutes or until rice is cooked through completely.
5. Add peas, olives, parsley and lemon juice. Cover with lid or foil and remove from heat. Leave to stand for 5 or 10 minutes.
6. Taste for seasoning and serve!
   

serves 4 – 6
optional: hot sauce is good with this!