Veggie Paella

SERVES 4

Fresh and vibrant, this Spanish-inspired dish is packed full of flavour. This recipe is adapted from https://thedoctorskitchen.com/.

 INGREDIENTS                                                  

●      2 tablespoons vegetable oil

●      1 large onion

●      ½ red pepper

●      2 courgettes

●      3 garlic cloves, finely chopped/minced

●      1 teaspoon chilli powder

●      2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika

●      200g paella rice

●      320g baby tomatoes

●     1 vegetable stock cube

●      200g frozen peas

●      20g fresh parsley

●      1 lemon to serve

●      Salt and pepper 

EQUIPMENT

Knife, measuring spoons, wooden spoon, chopping board, measuring jug, large sauté pan or shallow casserole dish

ALLERGENS: None

COOKING UP TIP: Swap the vegetables according to your taste or what’s available

METHOD  

STEP 1

Peel the onion and dice finely. [1] Slice the pepper into strips, making sure all the pith  and seeds are removed. Prepare the courgettes: slice off the ends and then cut lengthways into 3. Chop these strips into batons.

STEP 2

Heat the vegetable oil in the pan and add the onion, pepper and courgettes. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened. 

STEP 2

While the vegetables are cooking, place the garlic cloves on a chopping board and squash with the back of a wide-bladed knife; remove the skin and chop finely. Next slice the baby tomatoes in half.

STEP 3

Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a further couple of minutes. Next add paprika to the pan and rice and stir to coat the vegetables.

STEP 4

Put the stock cube in the measuring jug and add 700mlml boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Add the tomatoes and stock to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Heat till bubbling, simmer, for approximately 18 minutes until the rice is tender and the stock almost completely absorbed. Add the frozen peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking. 

STEP 5

While the paella is cooking, remove the parsley from the stalks and chop finely. Chop the lemon into 4 wedges.

STEP 5

Take the paella off the heat and scatter with chopped parsley. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Registered Charity No: 1198664

[1] To dice an onion using the bridge and claw techniques: carefully cut off the pointed end of the onion on the chopping board. Stand the onion on its flat end. Make a bridge with your fingers and thumb and then cut the onion in half. Peel the papery skin and membrane.  Make a bridge and use the point of the knife to make cuts from just above the root, all the way to the top. Make your fingers into a claw and draw the knife across the onion. This makes small, even-sized pieces.

Source: ‘Food a Fact of Life’:  British Nutrition Foundation