Lemon and Saffron Rice

Another in the Meal Prep series is this lemon and saffron rice, cooked with peppers, garlic, onion, mushroom, courgette and ANYTHING else you feel like throwing in. It couldn’t be easier. My approach with the meal prep recipes is to demonstrate simple, no fuss, seasonal recipes that can be batch made at the weekend but still keep nutrition and diversity in our diet. Each one will showcase featured ingredients from the garden, along with a handful of complimentary bits. From preserving and marinating, to freshly picked or fermented, ease and flavour are at the heart of these recipes.

The key idea behind the salad box recipes is to prep 4 or 5 of them and take a bit from each. That way the meal is always interesting and different, and you get between 15-20 different vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and seeds per meal.

Lemon and Saffron Rice
Makes 8 Portions (Freezable)

• 300g Paella rice

• 300g Mushrooms

• 130g Green peppers (padron)

• 200g Piquillo peppers (or sweet red peppers)

• 1 Large white onion

• 2 Cloves of garlic

• 1 Lemon

• A pinch of saffron

• Stock (roughly 750ml)

• A bunch of fresh parsley

• Salt and pepper

Note: You will need a large, wide pan for this recipe.

Step 1.

With a drizzle of oil, fry all the vegetables apart from the piquillo peppers with a pinch of salt over a high temperature. When the mushrooms are golden brown, lower the temperature and add the rice. Make sure there’s plenty of oil as the rice will absorb it and turn glassy. Fry everything for 3-4 minutes.

Step 2.

Bring the stock up to simmer and add it to the rice pan with a pinch of saffron. Let the pan boil for 2 minutes, then cover and reduce the heat to simmer for 25 minutes.

Step 3.

After 25 minutes, remove the lid and try the rice. It should be chewy and soft with a crispy base. Spread it out to cool down quickly and box it into airtight containers. Cut the lemon into wedges and stick it in each box once the rice has cooled. Keep in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for 3 months, top with chopped fresh parsley before eating.

If you’re looking for a way to mix it up, when reheating, cook a tin of tomatoes with 2 cloves of garlic, some chilli oil and 200ml of cold water. Simmer for 30 minutes, then add the rice and heat through. This will turn the recipe into more of a tomato risotto style dish.