As a full fat carnivore, this was the second vegetarian recipe in two weeks that I’d been attracted to. This is the second incarnation.
The original was in the Telegraph Magazine under the crappy title of Spanish Rice. Look that up and you’d get hits about bomba and Calasparra rices or basic rice recipes not swamped with vegetables. So, I’ve retitled it. Being cooked in the oven, this is not a paella. Rather it is what I believe the Spanish would refer to as an Arroz dish. So, the title I’ve settled on, which I hope to be more appropriate, is Arroz con Verduras.
I found I needed to increase the proportion of liquid to rice, compared to the original. Additionally, I’ve ditched chilli flakes in favour of hot smoked paprika. The original also fretted about cut fennel discolouring, which I have never experienced, so I ditched the “rubbing with lemon juice” idea as being unnecessary. Artichokes, on the other hand, which would make a very pleasant alternative ingredient …
Planning
| serves: | 4 |
| preparation time: | 15 mins |
| cooking time: | 1 hr |
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb
- olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 large red pepper
- 2 large vine tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
- 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 400g tin butter beans, drained
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled & chunked
- 800ml vegetable stock
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 150g paella rice
- 2 chicons red chicory, trimmed & halved
- 100g tenderstem broccoli, trimmed
- Salt & pepper
Method
Heat your oven to 180°C (fan)/gas 5.
Trim the fennel bulb removing any discoloured outer leaves, then halve it. Now halve the halves so you have four quarter wedges. Cut out most of the hard core but leave enough to keep the quarters intact. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a shallow casserole and brown the cut sides of the fennel wedges – you aren’t cooking them, just browning. Set aside.
Heat another tablespoon of oil and fry the onion and peppers for about 10 minutes until the onion is lightly tinged golden. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the garlic and both smoked paprikas and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the beans, sweet potato, stock and rosemary. Bring all to the boil, reduce the heat and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the rice in and around the veggies, working it under the liquid. Add the fennel and chicory, let the stock come to the boil, season well then transfer (uncovered) to the oven.
Cook for 15 minutes before laying the broccoli evenly on top and drizzling with a little olive oil. Check to see that there is enough liquid to keep the rice just covered; add a little water if not. Bake for another 15 minutes when the rice should be cooked. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the dish.
Saffron allioli is supposedly a good accompaniment, though my “saffron is pointless alongside other strong flavours” thing kicks in there. Regular allioli would be fine.
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