Mushroom & Asparagus Paella
- Yield: 3 servings
- Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 25 mins
- Key Technique: Rice added at the end of the base build to toast before simmering.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Bomba or Paella Rice | 300g | Short-grain Spanish rice |
| Vegetarian Stock | 900ml | Keep hot on a side burner |
| Mushrooms | 250g | Cremini, Portobello, or wild mushrooms, sliced |
| Green Asparagus | 1 bunch | Woody ends snapped, cut into 2-inch pieces |
| Grated/Chopped Tomatoes | 2 medium | Freshly grated or finely chopped (no skin) |
| Onion | 1 small | Finely diced |
| Garlic | 3 cloves | Minely minced |
| Saffron Threads | 10-12 threads | Crushed and steeped in a little warm stock |
| Sweet Smoked Paprika | 1 tsp | Pimentón de la Vera |
| Olive Oil | 3-4 tbsp | Extra virgin |
| Salt | To taste |
Cooking Sequence
1.Sear the Veggies: 5 mins.
Heat the olive oil in your paella pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and asparagus pieces. Sear them until they get some nice golden color. Remove the asparagus tips and a few beautiful mushroom slices to reserve for a garnish later, leaving the rest in the pan.
2.Build the Sofrito Base: 8 mins.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the finely diced onion to the pan with the remaining mushrooms. Sauté until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
3.Add Tomatoes & Spices: 5 mins.
Push the ingredients slightly to the edges to create a small well in the center. Add the sweet smoked paprika, quickly followed by the chopped/grated tomatoes to prevent the paprika from burning. Cook the mixture down until the tomato water has completely evaporated, leaving you with a dark, jammy, and concentrated sofrito.
4.The Rice & Stock Finish: 18-20 mins.
Now, add the 300g of short-grain rice to the pan. Stir it thoroughly for 1-2 minutes to coat the grains in the oily sofrito and lightly toast them. Pour in the 900ml of boiling hot vegetarian stock and the steeped saffron. Stir gently one last time to distribute the rice evenly across the pan. Do not stir again.
5.Simmer and Create Socarrat: Final minutes.
Cook on high heat for 8-10 minutes, then lower the heat to low for another 8-10 minutes. In the final 5 minutes, arrange the reserved asparagus tips and mushroom slices beautifully on top. If you want that perfect socarrat (the caramelized rice crust), turn the heat up to medium-high for the last 1-2 minutes until you hear a crackling sound and smell a rich, nutty aroma.
