Roast fennel and aubergine paella

Ingredients

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Stock cubes 700 ml
• Paprika 1 tsp
• Fresh parsley
• Aubergine 6 small
• Bell pepper 1
• Courgette 1 medium
• Fennel 4 small
• Lemon 1
• Onion 1
• Arborio rice 300 g
• Saffron
• White wine 200 ml
• Frozen peas 100 g

Method

1. Put the fennel, aubergine, pepper and courgette in a roasting tray.
2. Add a glug of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss around to coat the veggies in the oil.
3. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning a couple of times until the veg are pretty much cooked through and turning golden.
4. Meanwhile, heat a paella pan or large frying pan over a low– medium heat and add a glug of olive oil.
5. Sauté the onion for 8–10 minutes until softened.
6. Increase the heat to medium and stir in the rice, paprika and saffron.
7. Cook for around 1 minute to start toasting the rice, then add the white wine.
8. Reduce by about half before stirring in two-thirds of the stock.
9. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes without a lid, stirring a couple of times.
10. Stir in the peas, add some seasoning, then gently mix in the roasted veg.
11. Pour over the remaining stock, arrange the lemon wedges on top and cover with a lid or some aluminium foil.
12. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
13. To ensure you get the classic layer of toasted rice at the bottom of the pan, increase the heat to high until you hear a slight crackle. Remove from the heat and sit for 5 minutes before sprinkling over the parsley and serving.