Paella
Let’s talk about a non-traditional, slutty, paella.
I know, I know, traditionally it's all about the meat and seafood. But I wanted a veggie version, and let me tell you, this one is epic.
I adapted this recipe from Food & Wine (gotta give credit where credit is due!), but I made a few tweaks, mostly involving more veggies. Because, let's be real, who needs meat when you've got this much deliciousness going on?
Pro tip: when you make this, grab a big pan. I'm not kidding. A really big pan. Every time I make this, it's a close call—I always think my pan is big enough, and then…it’s a close call. So, learn from my mistakes and go big or go home.
Here are the ingredients you need
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided—don't skimp on the good stuff)
4 squash or zucchini (or 50/50!), quartered lengthwise and sliced ½-inch thick
8-12oz of mushrooms (hen-of-the-wood recommended, but crimini or baby bella is A-OK)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (red preferred, but doesn’t really matter), chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup canned diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (remember if you are opening a new can, freeze the rest in plastic wrap, divided in 2 tablespoons each)
1 quart vegetable stock
Pinch of saffron threads (the magic ingredient)
1 cup Bomba rice (or Arborio, short grain is key)
1/2 lemon
Cherry tomatoes for serving on top
Lemon Aioli:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove grated garlic
Pepper to taste
And the instructions…important
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 15-inch carbon steel paella pan (or big skillet) over high heat until it's shimmering. Add the squash/zucchini and mushrooms. Let them hang out undisturbed until they're browned on one side (about 3 minutes). Then, stir them around a bit and cook until they're browned all over (another 3 minutes or so). Transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onion, bell pepper, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Cook, stirring often, until the onion starts to get dark around the edges (about 15 minutes). Stir in the garlic during the last minute.
Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid evaporates and the tomato paste starts to sizzle (3-5 minutes).
Stir in the vegetable stock, and saffron. Crank the heat up to high and bring it to a boil. Stir in the squash/mushroom mixture. Sprinkle the rice evenly over everything, and stir gently to distribute it.
Bring it back to a boil over medium-high heat. Let it bubble away until the rice grains are just above the stock (about 10 minutes).
Now, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer. Every few minutes, give the pan a little turn (about 90 degrees) to make sure the heat is distributed evenly. Cook until the rice is tender, has soaked up all the liquid, and starts to get nice and brown on the bottom (about 20 minutes). If the liquid is disappearing too fast and the rice is still a little hard, add hot water a little at a time (¼ cup) until it's just right.
Take the pan off the heat. Cover it loosely with foil or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. Don't skip this step!
Uncover the paella and squeeze the juice from that half lemon all over it. Top it with dollops of lemon aioli and cherry tomatoes.
