Vegetable Arroz a la Llauna

Quarter the chestnut mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Cut the flat green beans into 3 cm pieces. Cut the roasted red bell pepper into strips.

Preheat oven to 180c fan.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Brown the chestnut mushrooms. Add the flat green beans and saute for 3 minutes.

Stir in your homemade sofregit (See notes if you are out of sofregit). Stir in the rice and saute for 2 minutes until the grains are translucent at the edges and coated in the fat.

Pour in the boiling vegetable stock (keep a little aside for the picada). Boil on high for 6 minutes. Add the frozen peas in the final minute.

Transfer the contents into a (steel) oven tray. For 2 servings, use a tray of about 23 x 33 cm (don’t go much smaller, bigger is okay). For 4 servings, go with at least 30 x 40 cm. The goal is to have the mixture be max 1 cm deep (high surface, low volume for a uniform socarrat). Level the mixture in the tray, add the roasted red bell peppers and artichoke hearts on top.

Place the tray in the middle rack for 12 minutes. The top of the rice must be matte and dry. If it appears shiny or wet at 12 minutes, extend the oven time by 2 minutes.

Whilst the rice is in the oven, combine the ingredients in a small bowl for the picada. Grate the small garlic clove finely, whisk together with the almond paste and remaining vegetable stock. Be careful not to overdo it with the garlic.

Dot the picada over the surface of the rice in the tray right out the oven. Cover the tray with a clean cloth for 5 minutes to rest.