Terry recently had a little-over-a-week road trip that included a business trip and an eclipse viewing.
While he was on the road he would text me about all the wonderful vegan food he had at various restaurants.
One of the things that caught my attention was the vegan paella he had at one of the vegan restaurants in Chicago.
It just sounded so good.
I don’t think the restaurant actually used saffron, but for me paella has to have saffron which create the very unique flavor.
I used both the rice cooker and the pan both to make my veggie paella, and it turned out wonderful!
You can see the rice soaking up all the great flavors from the vegetables, saffron, and all other things cooked together in the rice cooker.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a must!
It really brightens up the whole dish.
olive oil
3~4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
salt and pepper
2 cups brown rice
1 can diced tomatoes (petite)
paprika
1 bay leaf
1 slice freeze-dried lemon
1 teaspoon saffron
dried oregano
sugar
Louisiana hot sauce
salt and pepper
2~3 tablespoons black olives, chopped
1/2 cup cooked peas
1/3~1/2 cup fried onion
chopped parsley
lemon wedges1. Sautee garlic, onion, and peppers. Salt and pepper. Remove from the pan.
2. Sautee zucchini and yellow squash in olive oil. Salt and pepper.
3. Place brown rice in a rice cooker. Add the juice from the tomato can. Add water together with the tomato juice to reach the line for cooking two cups of rice. Add half of the cooked garlic/onion/peppers. Add the tomato pieces from the can, paprika, a bay leaf, a slice of freeze-dried lemon, saffron, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook the rice. Follow the directions for your rice cooker.
4. When the rice is cooked remove the lemon slice and bay leaf.
5. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Put the rest (rice and vegetables) in the pan. Push it down with a wooden spoon to lightly brown the rice.
6. Add sugar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
7. Add the rest of the garlic/onion/peppers, sauteed zucchini and yellow squash, olives, peas, and fried onion.
8. Sprinkle chopped parsley.
9. Serve with lemon wedges.
