Main Courses

Wild Mushroom & Black Truffle Paella

An earthy vegetarian paella — wild mushrooms and a caramelized carrot-and-onion sofrito over bomba rice, finished with black truffle oil. Serves 2. From a paella class at The Paella Club, Barcelona.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

• ½ leek
• 70g finely chopped onion
• 70g finely chopped carrot
• 100g wild mushrooms
• 80ml fresh tomato puree
• ¾ glass red wine
• 120g rice, preferably bomba (or substitute any risotto rice)
• 500ml vegetable broth
• 30ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 5ml black truffle infused oil

Method

1. Set the paella pan over low/medium heat.
2. Generously drizzle in most of the olive oil, saving a quarter for later.
3. Add the leek and sear until golden and softened.
4. Remove the leek and save for later.
5. To begin the sofrito, add a little more olive oil and the finely chopped carrot, spread evenly across the pan.
6. Cook the carrot until it shrinks, turns brown, and is crispy — about 4 to 6 minutes.
7. Remove the carrot, saving as much oil as possible.
8. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until golden.
9. Return the cooked carrot to the onion, mix well, and cook a further 2 minutes.
10. Move all of the ingredients to the side of the pan and add a drop of olive oil to the centre.
11. Place the wild mushrooms in the centre of the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
12. Mix all of the ingredients together.
13. Deglaze the pan with the red wine; once the alcohol has evaporated, add the tomato puree and reduce until it reaches a jam-like texture, about 2 minutes.
14. Add all of the rice, mixing it fully into the sofrito, and cook in the sauce for 2 minutes.
15. Add all of the vegetable broth, mixing well and slowly so none is lost over the sides, and raise to a medium heat. Season to taste.
16. Stir in small circular motions around the pan, drawing into the centre and picking up anything stuck to the bottom. After about four minutes the mixture becomes thick and gelatinous — a sign the starch has been extracted; if not, stir a further 2 minutes.
17. Remove the spoon and, holding the handles, keep the pan on the heat and shake slowly for about 60 seconds until the mixture is evenly spread across the pan.
18. To build the crisp socarrat, leave the pan over medium heat; when the smoke smells like burnt toast, turn off the heat.
19. Lay the seared leek delicately on top of the rice — do not press it in or stir the rice.
20. Cook the paella in the oven at 200°C / 395°F for 15 minutes.
21. Drizzle with truffle infused oil and serve.

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