Riverford Cauliflower & Quinoa Paella

Need a quick, comforting and veggie-packed dinner?

Our friends at Riverford have come to the rescue with this seasonal recipe for Cauliflower & Quinoa Paella with Roast Peppers & Almonds.

Ready in just 30 minutes and vegan-friendly, it features nutty cauliflower and vibrant vitamin-rich red peppers. The perfect supper for a chilly January evening!

for two servings You’ll need:

2 red peppers

30g flaked almonds

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

1 cauliflower, broken into florets

150g quinoa

½ tablespoon smoked paprika

1 pinch of saffron

1 bay leaf

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

100g passata

100ml white wine

400ml stock

1 lemon

Small bunch of parsley

How to:

1. Preheat your oven to 220˚C/Gas 7.
2. Slice the peppers into large lobes. Rub lightly with oil and place skin-side up on a roasting tray. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15-20 mins, until the skin has blistered.
3. Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a dry frying pan for 2-3 mins, until golden. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the shallot and cauliflower to a frying pan with 2 tbsp oil. Fry for 3-4 mins until they both start to take on a little colour.
5. Add the quinoa to the frying pan with the paprika, saffron, bay and garlic. Fry for 1 min. Add the passata and white wine. Let the wine bubble away for 1 more min.
6. Tip in the stock. Simmer gently for 12-15 mins, until everything is tender. Add a dash more water if it looks like drying out.
7. While the paella cooks, finely zest the lemon. Finely chop the parsley with the lemon zest, adding a pinch of salt as you do so. Roughly chop the almonds.
8. When the peppers are cooked, remove them from the oven and leave to cool for 5 mins. Pull away the blistered skins. Slice the flesh into strips.
9. Stir the peppers into the paella, with a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper and more lemon juice as needed.
10. Divide the paella between 2 plates. Garnish with chopped parsley, lemon zest, almonds and a wedge of lemon.

---