Roast fennel and aubergine paella

1. Put the fennel, aubergine, pepper and courgette in a roasting tray. Add a glug of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, turning a couple of times, until the veg are nearly cooked through and turning golden.
2. Meanwhile, heat a paella pan or large frying pan over low-medium heat and add a glug of olive oil. Soften the onion for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium and stir in the rice, paprika and saffron, cooking for about a minute to toast the rice, then pour in the white wine. Let it reduce by roughly half before stirring in two-thirds of the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes uncovered, stirring a couple of times.
3. Stir in the peas, season, then gently fold through the roasted veg. Pour over the rest of the stock, lay the lemon wedges on top and cover with a lid or foil. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
4. For that prized layer of toasted rice on the bottom, turn the heat to high until you hear a faint crackle. Take the pan off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before scattering over the parsley and serving.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Roast the vegetables to a deep gold first. That caramelisation gives a flavour you can't get any other way.
• Once the stock is in, leave the rice well alone so a crust can form on the base.
• Steep the saffron in warm stock first so its colour and scent run right through the rice.
• Crank the heat near the end and listen for a crackle, which tells you the socarrat is forming.