Cost: $20 (with extra olive oil, brown rice, lentils, and spice for the pantry)
Leftovers: Reheat servings of paella in a covered dish in the microwave. Or chop the carrots and toss them with the rice and lentils; add lemon juice or a spoonful of any vinegar for a quick, hearty salad to serve over greens.
Rice-and-Lentil “Paella” in a Cake Pan
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Makes 4 meal-size servings, plus leftovers 1x
Time 20 minutes prep plus 1 hour roasting time
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups long-grain brown rice
- 1 1/4 cups brown lentils
- 2 large or 3 medium leeks (about 1 pound)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon spice (like curry or chili powder, za’atar, or a mix of cumin and smoked paprika)
- 1 1/2 pounds carrots (any size, with tops if possible)
- 3 tablespoons chopped carrot tops or fresh dill, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Get a 9- by 13-inch metal or ceramic cake pan handy. (No need to grease it.) Measure the rice and lentils into a strainer, and rinse under running water, working through with your hands to discard anything that doesn’t quite look like lentils or rice. Let the mixture sit to drain.
- Trim the leeks so some green parts remain. Slice them crosswise into 1/2 inch rounds; you should have 3 to 4 cups. Rinse the leeks in a colander under running water, working with your fingers to separate layers and dislodge any grit.
- If your carrots came with greens on top, pinch off a handful of the nicest ones and put them in a bowl of cold tap water to use for garnish later. Trim the carrots and scrub with a clean brush or scouring pad (or peel them if you prefer). Carefully split lengthwise any that are wider than 1 1/2 inches in half. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the salt and pepper and let them sit on the cutting board.
- Put the remaining 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it’s shimmering, add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re soft and beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Add the lentils and rice, the spice, and a big pinch of salt and stir constantly until the mixture is glossy and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 4 cups water, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Use a ladle to transfer the mixture to the cake pan, scraping out the last bits with a rubber spatula. Scatter the carrots over the top in a single layer. Put the pan in the oven and roast undisturbed for 45 minutes.
- When the time is up, peek under the carrots with a fork to grab a taste of the rice and lentils and check the pan for liquid. If the rice is still chalky at the center and the pan is dry, pour another cup of water over the top of the paella and return it to the oven to cook for another 15 minutes. (If you saved some carrot greens, drain and chop them.) The paella is ready when the rice is tender, the lentils are broken up, and the carrots are browned in spots. Serve hot or at room temperature, sprinkled with an extra dusting of salt and pepper (or scatter the carrot greens over the top if you have them).
—Recipes developed by The Bittman Project for the Economic Hardship Reporting Project
Recipe variations
Rice-and-Tofu “Paella” in a Cake Pan
Instead of the lentils, put 1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu in a bowl or large glass measuring cup and crumble with your fingers or a fork. (You should have about 2 cups.) In Step 1 rinse the rice by itself. The rest of the recipe remains the same. You probably won’t need to add extra water when you check for doneness in Step 6.
Rice-and-Nut “Paella” in a Cake Pan
Instead of the lentils, increase the rice to 11/2 cups and chop 1 cup nuts—like peanuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or cashews. In Step 1 rinse the rice by itself. The rest of the recipe remains the same. You probably won’t need to add extra water when you check for doneness in Step 6.
Changing Paella for the Seasons
Carrots are great on top of this paella all year long, but it’s always nice to take advantage of seasonal produce by changing the vegetable you roast on top. In winter, try 1-inch thick cabbage wedges or sliced celery root or parsnips. In spring, thickly sliced fennel or giant asparagus stalks are lovely, as is a heap of spinach leaves; they’ll cook down to almost form a crust. For summer, green beans, fresh cherry tomatoes, or wedges cut from ripe tomatoes of any size will concentrate and soften to the point of practically melting away. And in fall, broccoli or cauliflower florets, or whole or halved Brussels sprouts make a lovely vegan main dish for the Thanksgiving table.