Roast Fennel and Aubergine Paella

Ingredients

• 6baby aubergines, small
• 4fennel, small bulbs
• 1red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1courgette, medium
• olive oil, two glugs; one for roasting veg, one for the paella pan
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 10 1/2 ozpaella rice
• 1 tsppaprika, smoked or sweet
• saffron
• 7/8 cupwhite wine
• 3 cupvegetable stock, hot
• 3 1/2 ozfrozen peas
• 1lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 handfulparsley, fresh, chopped
• salt
• black pepper

Method

1. 1

   Put the fennel, aubergines, pepper, and courgette 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 glug of olive oil in a paella pan or large frying pan 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.