Try this all-veg artichoke and asparagus paella recipe and impress your guests with how fancy (and tasty!) meat-free meals can be. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
200g basmati easy-cook rice
½tsp turmeric powder
30g flaked almonds
1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g asparagus spears, cut into 3-4 cm pieces
280g jar of artichokes in oil
20g capers
50g gherkins, finely chopped
50g black olives, pitted
200g button mushrooms, halved
1tbsp tomato purée
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
100g sun-dried tomato paste
1tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to garnish
Method:
Put the rice in a large pan of water with the turmeric and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes then drain thoroughly.
Toast the almonds by gently cooking in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes – set the almonds to one side.
While the rice is cooking in a separate large frying pan, heat the oil and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and asparagus and continue to cook for five more minutes.
Take the artichokes, drain the oil and slice in half. Add the artichokes, capers, gherkins, olives, mushrooms and tomato purée and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
Once the rice is cooked and drained, add to the frying pan. Stir in the tomatoes, sundried tomato paste and half the tarragon.
Serve straight away garnished with the remaining tarragon, toasted flaked almonds and lemon wedges.
Recipe courtesy of The Vegetarian Society 2015.
