This is an exceptional dish. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. There are a lot of dishes, though.
Chickpea & Shishito Paella
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 476kcal
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Immersion blender
- Large oven-proof skillet
Ingredients
- ½ lb dry chickpeas
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 pinch saffron threads crushed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 12 small shishito peppers stemmed but left whole
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper chopped
- ½ lb green beans cut into 1” pieces
- 1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika pimenton
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup passata or 2 small tomatoes passed through the food mill
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems
- 1½ cup Spanish rice Calasparra is best, can be Arborio
- 2 cups spinach chopped
Vegan aioli (optional)
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup aquafaba
- 2 tbsp cooked chickpeas
- ¾ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup grapeseed or neutral oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Cook beans (1-2 days before, if making the vegan aioli)
- Soak the beans in water and 1% salt for at least 6 hours. Drain and put in the pressure cooker. Add water to about ½" above the chickpeas – you don’t want too much water for this given the vegan aioli step. Don’t add more salt or spices, to keep the flavor fairly neutral.
- Bring to pressure for 14 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. Remove the lid and remove the inner pot. Allow to cool.
- Once cool, store chickpeas and their cooking liquid together in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Make paella
- Prepare ingredients first per the ingredient list. Onion, garlic and red bell pepper can go together. Passata and chopped cilantro can go together in a glass. Paprika, cumin and salt can also be combined.
- Heat the 3 cups broth in a saucepan until boiling. Then turn heat to low and cover. If chickpeas are in the fridge, you can add them to the broth here, to warm them up. (Otherwise leave them to the side for now.)
- Heat a very large (at least 12”), straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ¼ cup olive oil and heat to shimmering. Place the shishitos in the pan with tongs and sear each side for 1-2 minutes. Transfer them back to their bowl.
- Around now, preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook to the pan, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened, 6-8 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin and salt and stir well for 30 seconds. Then add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes until they’ve brightened.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and cilantro and let it cook a bit, maybe 30 seconds. Then add the rice and stir well, making sure it all is combined thoroughly. Stir in the broth, drained chickpeas, and spinach. Sprinkle in the crushed saffron. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Cook on medium, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the rice has begun to absorb the liquid. The rice should still be covered by liquid, but it should have started to dry out.
- Then nestle the shishitos on the rice and transfer the pan the oven. Bake, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and cover with a lid or aluminum foil and let it sit for 10 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.
- While it cooks, make the aioli. Cut the garlic and remove green shoots, if any, to prevent some of the bitter taste of uncooked garlic. In a small cup that can fit the immersion blender, puree the garlic, aquafaba, chickpeas, mustard and salt until smooth. Drizzle in the oil, starting slowly until it begins to thicken. Then you can pour the rest in. You may need to blend for several minutes before it starts to thicken. Once as thick as you think it’ll get, or as thick as it needs to be, add the lemon juice and any extra salt, to taste. Store in a container in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Notes
This recipe makes 8 servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 692mg | Potassium: 631mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3155IU | Vitamin C: 91mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition Facts
Chickpea & Shishito Paella
Amount Per Serving
Calories 476
Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 23g35%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Sodium 692mg30%
Potassium 631mg18%
Carbohydrates 59g20%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 3155IU63%
Vitamin C 91mg110%
Calcium 69mg7%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.