Vegetable Paella
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 package marinated artichokes or frozen artichoke hearts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups medium or long grain rice
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cup vegetable broth or stock (or water with 3 bouillon cubes)
2 cups chard, spinach, or escarole
15-oz can cannellini (white) beans, drained
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup frozen peas
salt and black pepper to taste
Boil 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add saffron, cover, and leave aside.
Sautee bell pepper with onion over medium heat in a large pot until onion is translucent. Add artichokes and garlic, sauté a few minutes more. Add rice and paprika and stir, integrating/coating the rice thoroughly.
Add saffron water and stir again, then add broth, chard, beans, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, add salt, stir, and turn heat to low.
Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then add peas and beans and simmer 10 minutes more or until rice is done. Remove lid and let paella sit a few minutes.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
I'm always trying to find new ways to cook swiss chard and this recipe has awesome potential. The way it's written is great for those with milder palates, but to us it was a bit bland. We flavored it by adding more of everything, garlic, saffron, paprika and then lime juice and oregano -- from traditional -paella recipes, as well as a touch of adobo. The artichoke hearts were excellent; it tasted almost like the real thing.