Veggie Paella

I went to a dinner party with a Spanish theme a few weeks ago. They served sangria, tapas, and paella. They were even kind enough to make a small veggie paella for me. Paella is one of those dishes that I really enjoy, but rarely think about. The party got me thinking about it again, so last night I pulled out my own recipe to give it another shot.


It came out pretty well--chock full of vegetables, chickpeas and rice. It's quite a nice, healthy meal for a winter night. I used a recipe from VegWeb by Curtis Aikens. I just happened to have a bit of saffron left over from a stay in India a few years ago. Despite it's age, it was actually still very flavorful and colorful. Apparently saffron strands will keep for several years if stored in a dark, air-tight container.


And speaking of the container--I love it. It's lime green, about 1.5 inches tall and features Hindu deities. I'll be keeping this one.