![[Pasted image 20250923025141.png]] ## Why this works so well - Taking our time to thoroughly fry the mix of vegetables with salt and balsamic vinegar causes them to caramelize, adding real depth of flavour even without chorizo. - Adding certain vegetables later on gives much-needed texture to an otherwise soft dish. - Chopping, crushing and then steeping the saffron gives a lot of warming, wholesome punch to the dish from an otherwise mild herb. - Caramelizing the bottom of the paella melds all the flavours together. ###### Prep time:30 minutes ###### Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes ## Ingredients Makes 5 portions - [[Carrot]], 1 medium - [[Onions]], 2 medium - [[Peppers]], 2-3 large bell - [[Rice]], paella rice or risotto rice, 250g - [[Tomatoes]], 2 medium - [[Balsamic Vinegar]] - [[Olive Oil]], 100ml - [[Runner beans]], 150g - [[Garlic]], 6-8 large cloves - [[Paprika]], sweet, 1 heaped tablespoon - [[Saffron threads]], 1 large pinch, roughly a gram - [[Artichokes]], canned or jarred, 250g - [[Vegetable broth]], around 500ml (or two stock cubes) - [[Lemons]], 1/2, to serve - [[Chives]], to serve ### Recommended tools A large, wide-bottomed pan, preferably not non-stick ## Method 1. In a large pan, warm your olive oil on a medium heat. Dice the onions, carrots, the tomatoes and one of the bell peppers and add to the pan as you go. Stir to coat everything in oil, and then add a splash of balsamic vinegar and salt. Fry on a medium, stirring occasionally until your vegetables are starting to become caramelised, around 30-40 minutes. ![[Pasted image 20250923025209.png]] 2. While that's ongoing, mince your garlic and add to the pan when completed. Slice your other bell peppers into large strips and add to the pan. ![[Pasted image 20250923025228.png]] 3. Chop your saffron fronds into rough 1cm-long matchsticks, and add them to a mortar and pestle. Grind them lightly. Boil the kettle. 4. Combine your vegetable broth, saffron, and hot water, stirring until homogenised. 5. Add your rice and paprika to the pan, stir to cover the contents of the pan, and fry for another 5 minutes. 6. Chop your runner beans into 3 centimeter-long chunks and add them to the pan. Cover with your broth and saffron mixture. 7. On a medium-low heat, stir your paella occasionally and top it up with water if it starts to dry out. After 25 minutes, check your rice is thoroughly cooked through - stop stirring at this point. 8. Drain your artichokes and push them into the paella. 9. Turn your paella up to medium and keep cooking until the sound of boiling starts to sound like frying. Turn to medium-high and cook for another 3 minutes - you can check if it's caramelised properly with a wooden spoon. ![[Pasted image 20250923025252.png]] 10. Once caramelised, turn off the heat and squeeze your half-lemon over the paella, and garnish with fresh chopped chives.