Golden Vegetable Paella

Ingredients:

A pinch of saffron strands

750ml hot vegetable or chicken stock

90ml olive oil

2 large onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

275g long grain rice

50g wild rice

175g pumpkin, chopped

1 large carrot, cut into matchstick strips

1 yellow sweet pepper, sliced

4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

115g oyster mushrooms, quartered

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Strips of red, yellow and green sweet pepper to garnish

Method:

Place the saffron in a bowl with 60ml hot stock. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a paella pan or large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until just beginning to soften.

Add the long grain and wild rice to the pan and toss for 2-3 minutes until coated in the oil. Add the stock to the pan, together with the pumpkin and the saffron strands and liquid. Stir the mixture as it comes to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover and cook very gently for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Add the carrot strips, yellow pepper, chopped tomatoes and seasoning. Replace the lid and cook very gently for a further 5 minutes, or until the rice is almost tender.

Add the mushrooms, check seasoning and cook, uncovered, for just enough time to soften the mushrooms without letting the paella stick to the pan. Garnish with the peppers and serve.

Serves 4