Roast Fennel and Eggplant Paella

Ingredients

• 6baby eggplants, small
• 4fennel, small bulbs
• 1red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1zucchini, medium
• olive oil, two glugs; one for roasting veg, one for the paella pan
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cupspaella rice
• 1 tsppaprika, smoked or sweet
• saffron
• 3/4 cupwhite wine
• 3 cupsvegetable stock, hot
• 2/3 cupfrozen peas
• 1lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 handfulparsley, fresh, chopped
• salt
• black pepper

Method

1. 1

   Put the fennel, eggplants, pepper, and zucchini in a roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast at 400°F for 20 minutes, turning a couple of times, until golden and cooked through.

2. 2

   Heat a splash of olive oil in a paella pan or large skillet over low–medium heat. Sauté the onion for 8–10 minutes until softened. Increase to medium heat, stir in the rice, paprika, and saffron, and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and reduce by about half.

3. 3

   Stir in two-thirds of the stock. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. 4

   Stir in the peas and season. Gently fold in the roasted vegetables. Pour over the remaining stock and arrange the lemon wedges on top. Cover and cook for a further 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Uncover and increase the heat to high until you hear a light crackling sound from the bottom of the pan (the socarrat). Remove from the heat and rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.