This Spanish classic requires lots of prep work, but the result is a hearty and delicious one-pot meal that's a real treat on the trail
Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi | Plenty
Serves 4 hungry hikers (or 6-8 dinner party guests)
6 T olive oil
1 med yellow onion, cut into short strips
1 large fennel bulb, cut into short strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into short strips
1 orange bell pepper, cut into short strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into short strips
1) Prepare fava beans first, as this is the most time-consuming step. Bring water to a boil in small or medium pot, and cook shelled beans for 1.5 minutes. Drain and place in bowl of iced water. Squeeze each bean gently to remove skin (use fingernail to create opening in smooth end of skin to speed process). Discard skins. Rinse beans well in bowl of water, drain, and set aside.
2) Preheat oven to 350 F
3) Heat olive oil in a paella pan or large shallow skillet. Fry onion for 5 minutes, until soft and just starting to brown. Add the fennel and continue to cook on medium heat for anther 4-5 minutes, until becoming soft. Add bell pepper and cook another 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir, cook another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
4) Add bay leaves, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne and stir well. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Add sherry, wine, and saffron and allow to boil down for a minute. Add stock and 1/2 t salt (or omit and salt to taste later). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Place artichoke hearts on top of mixture but do not stir in. Allow to simmer very gently or 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Do not cover the pan and don't stir the rice.
5) Remove the paella pan from heat. Scatter tomatoes and fava beans over the rice. Cover pan tightly with foil and cook in oven for 15 minutes.
6) Remove foil. Scatter olives and parsley on top of paella, then use large spoon to mix ingredients. Add lemon juice.
Spread on 2 trays and dehydrate at 155F until dry.
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 bay leaves
1 t smoked paprika
1.5 t ground turmeric
1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 c arborio rice
6 T cooking sherry
6 T dry white wine
1.5 t saffron threads
salt to taste
4 c boiling vegetable stock
8oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered1.5 c shelled fava beans
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
15 pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarsely
1/2 bunch parsley, stems removed & leaves chopped coarsely
Juice of 2 lemons
Notes: If fava beans are not in season you may be able to find them frozen. We have also made this recipe with fresh scarlet runner beans, and you could probably use any nice heirloom bean. You could also substitute drained canned or jarred artichoke hearts.
PRO TIP: Serve fresh at a dinner party with friends, then dehydrate the leftovers to enjoy in the backcountry!