Recipe | Vegetarian Paella

MrP had an M&S paella for lunch the other day and I realised I hadn't had one for so long, possibly since becoming veggie. So I thought, I am going to make a vegetarian paella with things I like in it and that would go well. It's difficult to find good recipes for veggies that are have meat versions so I thought I would share my creation with you, as it was pretty darn good!

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

Olive oil - a glug

1 medium onion - finely chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic - crushed/chopped

2-3 peppers red and green - deseeded and sliced

2 tomatoes - chopped into 8 pieces each (half it half it half it!)

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

2 vegetable stock cubes made up with 2 pints of boiling water

300g Paella rice (you can use other rices but this works best) P.S. I managed to acquire this from Sainsburys

Frozen garden peas - as many as you want - a cup or 1/2 cup (the measuring kind not a coffee mug)

8-10 Sundried tomatoes - sliced up into strips

8 artichokes from an antipasta jar (Not 8 actual artichokes, thats waaaaay too much!)

Salt and pepper to taste (I prefer the grinding types but any will do...not white pepper...so not any)

Fresh parsley - about a handful chopped

1 lemon - quartered 

How to make the paella

• Pour a glug of olive oil and add your chopped onions and garlic, simmer and soften for a few minutes until nice and translucent. Do not burn as this will change the flavour completely, so keep a good eye on them!
• Add your sliced peppers and sauté for a few minutes and then make a 'well' in the middle and add your tomatoes and sprinkle the paprika on top of the tomatoes. Then sauté them for another 3-4 minutes.
• Pour in your paella rice and stir until all the rice becomes translucent, then sprinkle on the turmeric and mix through. Pour on all the stock, give a little stir and leave for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally.
• when the rice has soaked up most of the stock and is starting to look paella like, add some salt and pepper and taste. Then add the peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the sundried tomatoes, check for salt and pepper again, then turn off the heat and sprinkle the parsley on, then put the artichokes round the edges and cover with a lid or foil and leave for ten minutes.
• serve with a slice of lemon and enjoy!