Mixed Vegetable Paella (Paella De Verduras) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
crumbled saffron thread (a pinch)
kosher salt or sea salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 ounces snap peas or 4 ounces snow peas, strings removed
4 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (preferably broad flat beans)
8 baby carrots, finely chopped
8 shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps coarsely chopped
1 bunch scallion, trimmed and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 teaspoon sweet paprika, preferably Spanish smoked
1 1/2 cups valencian short-grain rice or 1 1/2 cups arborio rice

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400\u00b0 (if using a gas oven), 450\u00b0 if using an electric oven.
Heat the vegetable broth, 1 cup water, the saffron, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then keep hot over low heat.
In a paella pan that measures 13 inches across the top, heat the oil over high heat.
Add in the red peppers, zucchini, peas, beans, carrots, mushrooms, and scallions; stir/saute for 10 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
Add in the garlic; saute for 2 minutes.
Add in the tomatoes and paprika; cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the rice; pour in the hot broth, then bring to a boil over high heat.
Season generously with salt to taste; boil for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice.
Transfer the pan to the oven; bake, uncovered, until the rice is almost al dente, 10-12 minutes in a gas oven, 15-20 minutes in an electric oven.
Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil, and let stand in a warm place for 5-10 minutes until the rice is cooked to taste.
To make the socarrat, uncover the pan, place over burner, cook over med-high heat, without stirring for about 2 minutes until a crust of rice forms on the bottom of the pan (be careful not to let it burn); serve straight from the pan.