Ingredients
• 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 leeks, trimmed and cut into roughly 1cm/½in slices
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 150g/5½oz paella rice
• 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
• a good pinch saffron strands (around ½ heaped tsp loosely packed)
• 2 bay leaves
• 75ml/2½oz sherry or white wine
• 600ml/20fl oz hot vegetable stock (made with 1 stock cube)
• 160g/5¾oz chargrilled artichoke antipasti, drained
• 175g/6oz roasted red peppers, from a jar, drained and sliced
• 50g/1¾oz pitted black olives, preferably Kalamata
To serve
• freshly chopped parsley
• lemon wedges
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, or shallow flameproof casserole, and gently fry the onion for 8–10 minutes, or until very soft and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add the leeks and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
2. Stir in the rice and cook for a few seconds before adding the paprika, saffron and bay leaves. Stir for a few seconds more then add the sherry (or white wine) and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the vegetable stock, stir well and cook the rice gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If the rice is looking dry during cooking, add some water.)
4. Add the artichokes, peppers and olives, stir well then reduce the heat to very low and cook, without stirring, for a further 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the rice is not quite tender enough, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes more.
5. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
