Make the spicy garlic sauce:
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp finely chopped fresh hot red or green pepper (jalapeño is fine)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4 tsp dried
4 Tbsp minced parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
Mash
to a paste in a mortar or miniprocessor the sweet and hot peppers,
cumin, salt, garlic, thyme, oregano, and 2 Tbsp of parsley. Stir in the
oil and remaining parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl. (This will keep
up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.)
Make the paella:
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, then cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups well washed, dried, and coarsely chopped spinach leaves
2 medium red bell peppers, finely chopped
4 tsp finely chopped fresh hot red or green pepper (jalapeño is fine)
6 frozen artichoke hearts, quartered
6 large shiitake or other mushrooms (1/2 lb), stems removed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
8 medium scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken broth, low-sodium canned or homemade, or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp crumbled thread saffron
8 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium tomato, seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sweet Spanish smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp minced parsley
3 cups imported Spanish (Bomba or Valencia) or Arborio short-grain rice
Kosher or sea salt
1/2 lb snap peas or snow peas, strings removed
1 roasted red pepper, sliced lengthwise, for garnish (optional)
Combine
in a large bowl the zucchini, spinach, sweet and hot peppers,
artichokes, mushrooms, peas and scallions. Combine the broth and
saffron in a pot and keep hot over the lowest heat.
Preheat the oven to 400°F for gas oven, 450° for electric.
Heat
the oil in a paella pan measuring 17-18 inches at its widest point (or
in a shallow casserole of a similar size), over two burners if
necessary. Add the vegetables from the bowl and sauté about 3 minutes
over high heat, until the vegetables are slightly softened. Stir in the
tomato, garlic, paprika, cumin and parsley, and cook 2 minutes more.
Add the rice and coat well with the pan mixture.
Pour in all the
hot broth and bring to a boil. Taste for salt and continue to boil
about 5 minutes, stirring and rotating the pan occasionally, until the
rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue
cooking the rice. Stir in the snap peas, arrange the roasted red pepper
slices decoratively on the top (a "spokes of the wheel" arrangement is
traditional), and transfer to the oven. Cook, uncovered, 10-13 minutes
in a gas oven, 15-20 minutes electric, until the rice is almost al
dente. Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and let sit 5-10
minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste. Pass the garlic sauce
separately.