INGREDIENTS:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 spring carrots, 1/4-inch dice
- 1 bunch of scallions or spring onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 cups short-grain paella rice
- 1 cup sofrito
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 3 cups of bite-sized mixed vegetables: asparagus, peas, cherry tomatoes, summer squash, baby artichokes (trimmed and quartered), baby radish
- 5 cups hot vegetable broth
- toppings: lemon slices / olives / toasted sliced almonds / chopped herbs
INSTRUCTIONS:
Get Started
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat the olive oil in a large (11 1/2-inch skillet) over medium heat- if you don’t have a skillet that large, use a 9 1/2-inch skillet and cut the recipe in half. Sauce the carrots, scallions (or spring onions), until translucent. Stir in the garlic, and let it cook a little longer. Add the rice, stir well, and cook until the grains are also translucent, a few minutes – be mindful to not allow the rice to burn. Stir in the sofrito. Add the paprika. Crush the saffron with your fingers, and add that as well.
Simmer
- Stir in the vegetables, pour the hot broth over all of it, stir, and bring to a moderate simmer. No more stirring allowed. Simmer for exactly 17 minutes. Set a timer. Taste the broth and re-season if necessary.
Bake the Paella
- Move the paella to the oven and bake for another 12 minutes. Remove, and if you want to try to get a bit more crust on the base of your paella, and you’re confident your paella won’t burn, return the paella to a burner for another minute or so. Remove from heat and allow it to rest for another few minutes. Top with anything else you like – olives, nuts, lemons, herbs, etc. Serve family style in the pan.