#navy beans

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

100g (1 handful) fresh runner, flat, or green beans, strands removed and cut into two or three pieces

6 stalks asparagus, chopped, or baby artichoke (chopped into about 8 pieces) or zucchini, depending on what’s in season

1 Japanese eggplant, or 2 baby eggplants, cut into pieces 1" x 2" x 1/4"

1/2 cup (35g) lima or navy beans (or 1/4 cup dried beans)

Salt to taste (around 1 tsp; less if using chicken stock base)

1 1/2 tsp Spanish sweet paprika

Large pinch saffron

6 cups (1420ml; 3x the volume of rice) vegetable stock or water

1 Tbsp vegetarian chicken stock base (optional)

1 1/4 cups (120g) tomato purée, from 3-4 tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups (400g) senia or bomba rice, or other short-grained white rice

2 stalks rosemary

4 piquillo peppers, sliced lengthwise

Lemon to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. If used dried beans: soak overnight in a couple inches of water. Drain, add to a small pot with enough water to cover and simmer for about 2 hours until beans are tender. Adding a clove of crushed garlic, a quarter of an onion, or a bay leaf to the water while you simmer will add flavor to the beans.

2. Prepare your vegetables. If using fresh tomatoes: peel by soaking in just-boiled water for about a minute and gently removing skins; purée in a food processor or blender.

3. Toast saffron in a small dry skillet on medium heat until fragrant. Crush saffron into just-boiled stock and allow to diffuse. Whisk 'chicken' base concentrate into the stock.

4. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a paella or a large shallow pan on low. Sauté onion, runner beans, asparagus / artichoke / zucchini, and eggplant for about 10 minutes until slightly softened. 5. Add salt and paprika and stir. Add garlic and sauté for a minute or so until fragrant.

6. Push vegetables out to the edges of your pan. Add puréed tomato in the centre of the pan and cook until reduced. Add lima beans and sauté for another minute or so.

7. Add saffron-infused water or stock and rosemary. Simmer until the stock reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.

8. Remove rosemary. Add rice and stir to coat. Add piquillo peppers.

9. Cook, uncovered, on high for 8-10 minutes, lower to medium for 8-10 minutes, and then cook on low for 4-5 minutes. Do not stir while cooking; you may shake the pan gently from time to time.

10. Raise the heat to high for 1-2 minutes to create socarrat (the browned layer on the bottom of a paella). Let rest for about a minute. Taste to test for doneness; cover the pan and let steam for a few minutes if the rice is not yet cooked.

11. Garnish with lemon. Serve in the cooking pan.