Paella Vegetariana

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium carrot, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 rib of celery, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup short grain brown rice
• 6 saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen, defrosted)
• 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (one 15-ounce can, drained)
• 1/2 cup meaty green olives, pitted and halved (Spanish manzanillas or Italian cerignolas work well)
• 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsely
• 4 lemon wedges

1. Preheat oven to 375u0b0F.
2. In a large, oven-safe pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute bay leaf, onions, garlic, carrots, and celery until almost tender, about 7 minutes.
3. Add in red bell peppers and continue to cook until they begin to soften, about 4 more minutes.
4. Add the rice and saffron. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for another couple of minutes to get the rice lightly toasted.
5. Mix tomato paste into water or stock. Add the combined liquids to the rice-vegetable base.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine well.
7. Raise heat to high. Allow mixture to come to a boil for 2 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat. Cover pan with an oven-safe lid or carefully cover tightly with aluminum foil. Set pan in oven.
9. Cook for 40-50 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through but still slightly al dente, not mushy.
10. Remove pan from oven and carefully remove the cover. Gently stir in the peas, garbanzos, and olives. Return the pan to the oven uncovered for 5 minutes or just long enough for the peas, garbanzos, and olives to heat through.
11. Serve hot with a garnish parsley and squeeze of lemon.

olive oil, bay leaf, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, short grain brown rice, threads, tomato paste, water, salt, freshly ground black pepper, peas, garbanzo beans, green olives, lemon wedges

Taken from food52.com/recipes/1940-paella-vegetariana (may not work)