Recipe: Vegetable Paella with Spicy Garlic Sauce (for Peggy)

This is a recipe adapted from one of cookbook's author Penelope Casas. It is a Vegetable Paella and beleive me that ANY PAELLA is delicious, no matter what the ingredients are. I think that it basically complies with your specifications. If you do not have a PAELLA PAN then use a big skillet that can be used in the oven for cooking it.

VEGETABLE PAELLA WITH SPICY GARLIC SAUCE
Source: Penelope Casas
Serves 6 to 8

Spicy Garlic Sauce (Recipe follows)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch crosswise slices & then each slice quartered
2 cups coarsely chopped spinach leaves
2 medium red bell peppers, finely chopped
4 tsps finely chopped fresh hot red or green peppers
6 frozen artichoke hearts, quartered
2/3 cup frozen lima beans
6 mushrooms, stems trimmed & coarsely chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
8 medium scallions, trimmed & coarsely chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp crumbled thread saffron
8 tb olive oil
1 medium tomato, seeded & finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tb minced parsley
3 cups imported Spanish or Arborio short-grain rice
salt
1/2 lb snow peas, strings removed

Make the spicy garlic sauce according to instructions & transfer to a serving bowl. Combine in a large bowl the zucchini, spinach, sweet & hot red peppers, artichokes, lima beans, mushrooms, peas & scallions. Combine the broth & saffron in a pot & keep hot at the lowest heat. Preheat the oven to 450 F (electric oven). Heat the oil in a Paella Pan measuring 17-18 inches at its widest point (or in a shallow casserole of similar size), over 2 burners if necessary. Add the vegetables from the bowl & saut about 3 minutes over high heat, until the vegetables are slightly softened. Stir in the tomato, garlic, paprika, cumin & parsley, & cook 2 more minutes. Add the rice & coat it well with the pan mixture.Pour in all the hot broth & bring to a boil. Taste for salt & continue to boil about 5 minutes, stirring & rotating the pan occasionally, until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice. Stir in the peas & transfer to the oven. Cook, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is almost al dente. Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, & let sit for 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste. Pass the Garlic Sauce separately.

SPICY GARLIC SAUCE
Makes about 3/4 cup

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp finely chopped fresh hot red or green pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 tspthyme leaves
1/4 tsp dried oregano
4 tb minced cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil

Mash to a paste in a mini processor the sweet & hot peppers, cumin, salt, garlic, thyme, oregano & 2 tb cilantro. Stir in the oil & remaining cilantro. Transfer to a serving bowl. This Sauce will keep up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.