Recipe: Claire's Corner Copia Garden Paella (Vegetarian)

GARDEN PAELLA

"The marvelous aroma of saffron will fill your kitchen when you make this bountiful, traditional Spanish casserole. All you will need to serve with this glorious dish is a simple, tossed salad, some good bread, and perhaps a good Spanish wine."

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 1/4 cups pearl rice (Valencia) or Arborio rice (both can be found in the rice or gourmet section of most supermarkets)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 (28 ounce) can Italian whole peeled tomatoes, with juice, squeezed with your hands
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 ribs celery with leaves, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
3 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound string beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and squeezed dry in paper towels
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup frozen lima beans
1/2 cup Spanish green olives, drained
1 cup frozen tiny green peas
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (wash your hands immediately after handling hot peppers)
1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from 2 ears, or frozen kernels
1 (12 ounce) package meatless sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces (found in health food stores)

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the rice. Stir to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Lower the heat if it begins to stick.

Add the thyme, fennel seeds, bay leaves, ground red pepper, and the Old Bay seasoning. Add the canned tomatoes, saffron, wine, and 5 1/2 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to mix.

Raise the heat to medium-high. Stir in the zucchini, carrots, celery, parsley, potatoes, string beans, capers, and the fresh tomatoes. Stir well to mix. Cover the pot and bring this mixture to a boil, stirring frequently so that it doesn't stick. After it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking at a low-medium boil, covered, for 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice and carrots are crisp-tender.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Stir in the lima beans, olives, green peas, jalapeno, corn, and sausage. Stir well to combine.

Spray a 4-quart casserole dish with cooking oil spray. Carefully turn the rice mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the rice is tender and the vegetables are tender-soft. Taste for seasonings.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Claire's Classic American Vegetarian Cooking by Claire Criscuolo