Vegetarian Paella
This dish provides an endless supply of nutrients. For eyes, nose, and taste buds, it’s mild enough with just a hint of smoky flavour, yet soothing to the stomach because it’s minus the spicy and typically fatty chorizo and crushed red peppers. Add some cooked julienned organic chicken or a few wild prawns if you have a craving for an extra boost of protein.
3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-sized Vidalia onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into strips
1 small fennel bulb, cut in half and thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 cup (250 mL) sprouted short grain organic brown rice
1/4 cup (60 mL) sherry vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL) saffron, crushed
1 tsp (5 mL) turmeric
1/2 tsp (2 mL) smoked paprika
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne
1/4 tsp (1 mL) sea salt
2 cups (500 mL) vegetable stock, hot
1 cup (250 mL) frozen shelled edamame beans, thawed
1 cup (250 mL) halved grape tomatoes
6 oz (170 mL) jar grilled artichokes, quartered
1/2 cup (125 mL) pitted Greek olives
1/3 cup (80 mL) coarsely chopped cilantro
Lemon, cut into wedges
Warm oil in large, wide paella or frying pan. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add red pepper strips and fennel and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Stir in bay leaves and rice. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes to coat the rice. Deglaze pan with sherry vinegar. Sprinkle with seasonings and fold in. Add hot stock. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until rice is cooked and most of the stock has been absorbed, about 20 to 30 minutes. Do not stir.
Turn off heat, leaving pan on warm burner. Scatter edamame beans, tomatoes, and artichokes over top and gently tuck into hot rice. Add a little more salt to taste, if you wish. Cover tightly with lid and let rest for about 10 minutes.
To serve, place a generous ladle into each of 4 serving dishes and scatter each with a couple of olives, chopped cilantro, and a lemon wedge.
Serves 4.
Each serving contains: 398 calories; 12 g protein; 16 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 54 g total carbohydrates (4 g sugars, 8 g fibre); 458 mg sodium
source: "Cancer Fighting Foods", alive #378, April 2014
Vegetarian Paella
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
