Vegetarian Paella with Artichokes and Butter Beans

• 1 liter Vegetable stock
• ¼ tsp Dried saffron threads
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp Sweet paprika
• 320 g Paella rice
• 240 g Canned artichoke hearts
• 400 g Butter beans
• 200 g Canned roasted red peppers
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 large Lemon

1. Warm the vegetable stock in a saucepan until steaming, then stir in the saffron and take off the heat to infuse. Keep it hot while you start the paella.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion, then peel and finely chop the garlic. Drain the artichoke hearts, butter beans and roasted red peppers; cut the peppers into strips and halve any large artichoke hearts.
3. Heat the olive oil in a paella pan (or large frying pan) over a medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of the salt for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and lightly golden, then stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the sweet paprika for 30 seconds, then add the paella rice and stir to coat in the oil. Pour in about 800 ml of the hot saffron stock and season with the remaining salt and the black pepper.
5. Bring to a lively simmer, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 10 minutes without stirring. Rotate the pan occasionally for even cooking, and top up with a splash of the remaining stock if the rice looks dry at the edges.
6. Scatter over the artichoke hearts, butter beans and roasted red peppers, pressing them lightly into the rice. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the rice is tender with a slight bite and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
7. Increase the heat to medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes to encourage a toasted base, listening for a gentle crackle, then remove from the heat. Cover and rest for 5 minutes.
8. Cut the lemon into wedges. Serve the paella straight from the pan with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

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