Paella á la Alice
... my vegan version of this classic Spanish dish
I've completely fallen in love with paella, it tastes amazing, I feel like I'm on holiday when I'm making and eating it and it just a fantastic fun dish to make when serving a group of people.
Let's talk about the rice, I use Bahia or Bomba Spanish paella rice (ordered from https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/bahia-paella-rice-1kg) but don't worry as long as its a short-grain rice it will be fine, risotto rice, pudding rice and even Japanese sushi rice will work. I ordered 5kgs of the Bahia paella rice and I'm so pleased I did because I've been sharing it with my neighbour and making lots of paellas so its been perfect.
The 'socarrat' is the hidden treasure of the paella, the crusty crispy bottom that becomes caramelized and toasted on the bottom of the pan when it is cooking (this is why we don't stir!). I have heard that the socarrat is an essential element of the paella's flavour, but don't worry if you don't get one, it depends on the pan you use and the heat and it will still taste fantastic.
Speaking of pans, I bought a cheap paella pan and I love it (available at: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/paella-pan-8-person). I have also made my paella in a large frying pan and it was delicious too so please don't feel the need to buy one!
I love serving paella with lemon, parsley, crusty bread and mayo drizzled with olive oil, I just think it makes such a beautiful spread and gives me such fun Spanish holiday vibes.
I hope you love this recipe!
Alice x
Ingredients
VEG, VG, DF Serves 4
1 litre vegetable stock (I use 2 Kallo vegetable stock cubes or you can buy it ready-made)
1/4 tsp saffron strands
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp smoked paprika (I use a mix of sweet and hot smoked paprika)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
150ml white wine
375g Spanish paella rice
1 (400g) tin of cannellini beans
325g jar of roasted red peppers (or roast 4 peppers and remove the skins), drained and sliced
1 courgette, sliced and cut into half moons
150g frozen peas
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Serve with:
Lemon wedges
Soft crusty bread (I love freshly baked rosemary bread or a baguette)
A bowl of vegan mayonnaise drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of pepper
A large glass of wine if you fancy!
Method
Bring the stock to boil in a saucepan, take off the heat and stir in the saffron then set aside.
Heat the oil in a paella pan, large deep frying pan or a shallow cast-iron casserole dish that is at least 30cm in diameter (12in). Add the onion and cook until it is soft and golden (~4 mins), then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 mins. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 4 minutes. Stir in the paprika, turmeric and chilli flakes, cook for another minute then add the wine and vegetable stock mix. Bring this to the boil.
Pour the rice evenly around the dish, then stir in the cannellini beans and season well with salt and pepper. Cook for 25 minutes, without stirring.
While the rice is cooking steam the courgette and peas until slightly tender, this takes around 3mins.
10 minutes before the end of the rice's cooking time add the peppers, tucking them into the rice around the whole pan followed by the courgette and peas. Make sure you don't stir the bottom of the pan, you want to just tuck the vegetables into the rice. You can move the rice around on the surface, if you feel the need, I tend to move it around a little if I notice parts are not cooking as well as other areas. Don't worry if the bottom of the pan has burnt a bit, this is called the 'socarrat' and is an iconic part of the paella for the flavour it brings to the dish.
Once the rice is cooked enough, serve with the chopped parsley and lemon wedges, and maybe some crusty bread and a bowl of vegan mayo drizzled with olive oil to dollop on to the paella (I love this part).
Best enjoyed outside in the evening sun with a glass of rosé! x