Recipe: Vegetable Paella with Spicy Garlic Sauce; Tofu Vegetable Paella for Romana

Here are two recipes that were previously posted. Is one of them what you are looking for?

Vegetable Paella with Spicy Garlic Sauce
Posted By: Gladys/PR
Date: Fri Oct 18th 2002
Board: Vegetarian Recipes at Recipelink.com

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.

Tofu Vegetable Paella
Posted By: Seppo
Date: Mon Nov 15th 1999
Board: Vegetarian Recipes at Recipelink.com

Full of flavor and savory, just like traditional paellas, and also full of big chunks of succulent ingredients. This idea sat on the shelf for years before it finally transpired into this dish. One of the things that make paellas so wonderful is the large tender pieces of seafood generously strewn throughout them. Replacing the traditional seafood with items such as artichoke hearts, avocado, whole Calamata olives and whole mushrooms, and tender chunks of tofu not only transforms this classic into a vegetarian dish, but make it quite something in it's own right.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
One 12-ounce package white mushrooms, whole
3 cups white rice
3/4 cup pitted Calamata olives
Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
Two 14-ounce cans whole artichoke hearts, halved
2 Haas avocados, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and saut , stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and mushrooms, and continue to stir occasionally, until onions are translucent and the mushrooms have softened somewhat, about 3 more minutes. Add the rice and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Add both cans whole tomatoes, including the juice, the olives, 5 cups water, and the Old Bay seasoning. Increase heat to high, stirring occasionally, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. (The key to this recipe is to keep the rice submerged in the liquid and to remember to stir occasionally, about every 3 to 5 minutes.)

3. Add the artichoke hearts and tofu to the pot, but do not stir. Cover and continue to cook over very low heat until the tofu and artichokes are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Gently mix the artichokes, avocado, and tofu into the paella and serve.

copyright Seppo Ed Farrey 1999