The Spanish certainly know how to do it right! This amazing paella (adapted from 101 cookbooks over the years) is the perfect go to dish to get you over hump day ....or take your time and share it with friends on the weekend. The tip to a good paella, like anything is the ingredients, Choose local and fresh and for paella that hums with taste and vibrancy!

Enjoy and make sure you share your creations with the YFC community @ Foodies of YFC  where you'll find a community of passionate foodies.

The amazing images and inspiration for this blog come from the beautiful @zoealonergan. Thanks Zoe.  

Always try to use a large pan when cooking paella, if you don’t have a large pan just reduce the recipe by half to fit. This recipe serves ten people and is ready in about 50 min. Enjoy

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Dutch carrots, 1/4-inch dice
• 1 bunch of spring onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cups short-grain paella rice
• 1 cup passata
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 3 cups of bite-sized mixed vegetables: cherry tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, sweet potato, radish
• 5 cups hot vegetable stock
• toppings: lemon slices / olives / toasted sliced hazelnuts / chopped herbs

INSTRUCTIONS

Get Started

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sautee the carrots, and 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

1. Stir in the vegetables, pour the hot stock 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 stock and re-season if necessary.

Bake the Paella

1. 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.

Delicious!! Share your creations with the YFC community @Foodies of YFC - a welcoming community of passionate foodies where anything (food related!) goes.