Vegan paella

 

Ingredients

Stock (Optional but Recommended)

• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 10 cm / 4″ by 20 cm / 8″ piece of kombu
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stick
• 1 vegan stock cube (optional)
• Fennel offcuts (optional)
• Parsley offcuts

Basic Paella

• 1 vegan stock cube (if not using homemade stock)
• 30 ml / 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 200 g / 7 oz ripe tomato (1 large), peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp salt, more to taste
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 80 ml / 1/3 cup vegan white wine
• 1 Romano pepper, sliced
• 200 g / 7 oz / 1 slightly heaped cup paella/bomba rice (arborio works too)
• A generous pinch of saffron, dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
• Freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Optional Toppings

• 200 g / 7 oz zucchini / courgette, sliced
• 1 fennel, cut into 8 wedges
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup cooked peas or broad beans (or a mixture of both)
• 8 olives, sliced
• 4 charred artichoke heart halves, halved
• Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Prepare Stock (If Using):

   • Place dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, carrot, celery, vegan stock cube (if using), and optional fennel and parsley offcuts in a pot with 750 ml water. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Strain and set aside. Alternatively, dissolve a vegan stock cube in 500 ml / 2 cups water.

2. Cook the Base:

   • Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a paella pan or another preferably thin-bottomed pan. Gently fry the onion for about 5 minutes until softened.
   • Add garlic and fry until softened and fragrant, stirring constantly.
   • Add chopped tomato, salt, smoked paprika, white wine, and Romano pepper. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the pepper softens, about 10 minutes.

3. Char the Veggies:

   • While the paella is simmering, char the courgette slices, fennel wedges, and cherry tomatoes on a heated and lightly oiled grilling pan. Season and set aside.

4. Cook the Rice:

   • Stir the rice into the tomato and red pepper mixture. Add saffron water and 500 ml / 2 cups of stock. Simmer on medium heat without stirring for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the rice looks dry, add a bit more stock or water to keep a thin layer of moisture on top.

5. Rest the Paella:

   • Switch off the heat and cover the paella with a tight-fitting lid or kitchen foil. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes to finish cooking in its own steam.

6. Top and Serve:

   • Top with charred veggies, peas or broad beans, olives, artichokes, and chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a good grind of black pepper.

Notes

• Stock: Homemade stock adds depth, but a vegan stock cube is a quick alternative.
• Rice: Paella or bomba rice is traditional, but arborio rice works well too.
• Toppings: Feel free to customize with your favorite veggies.

Enjoy your delicious, aromatic paella!

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