Vegetable Paella

I absolutely adore Yotam Ottolenghi.  His recipes are so vibrant and delicious.  This version of paella comes from his cookbook Plenty.  I made this several times for friends and it never disappoints.  Pair the dish with a lovely grilled salmon (for your non veggie friends). The flavours literally dance in your mouth.

Makes:  4 side servings or 2 very generous main servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1/2 green, red, and yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1/2 fennel bulb, cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup of paella rice
1/3 cup of sherry
1 teaspoon saffron strands
2 cups boiling vegetable stock
12 mini plum tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
5 small artichokes, quartered
1/4 cup of podded and skinned broad beans
10 pitted olives (I use green but kalamata will also work)
2 tablespoon parsley, roughly chopped
salt for taste
4 lemon wedges, to serve

Directions

1.  Heat oil in paella or large shallow frying pan, then gently fry onions. Roughly 5 minutes.  Add pepper and fennel, and fry over medium heat until both are soft and golden.
2.  Add garlic, let cook for a minute, then add the bay leaves and spices. Stir and add rice and cook two minutes further.
3. Add sherry and saffron, boil down for a minute, then add the stock and a pinch of salt.
4.  Reduce the heat as low as it will go and leave to simmer for 20 minutes (or until most of the liquid has been absorbed).  DO NOT STIR.
5.  Remove pan from the heat.  Taste and add salt if needed.
6.  Scatter the tomatoes, artichokes, and broad beans over the rice, cover the pan tightly with aluminium foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
7.  Remove foil and scatter the olives on top, sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.