Weeknight 'fun size' paella | streamlined Valencian-style, with green beans and chicken wings

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**RECIPE, SERVES 2-3**

(You could double this recipe and make it in a 12-inch pan rather than the 10-inch I use here.)

1/2 lb (227g, 6-8 pieces) chicken wings (could replace with drained canned lima beans)
1 handful fresh green beans
1 shallot
1 small sweet pepper (or half a small bell pepper)
2-3 garlic cloves
1 cup (237mL) white wine (could replace with water or stock)
1 cup (237mL) plain water (or stock)
1 pinch (I used 125 mg) saffron strands (or a teaspoon of sweet paprika)
1 cup (200g) paella rice or other short grain rice (adjust the quantity relative to the water/wine according to package directions)
1 lemon
2 teaspoons (a big squeeze) tomato paste
salt
pepper
olive oil

Heat a 10-inch (25 cm) pan over medium heat, and put in the saffron to toast dry for a minute until fragrant. Dump the saffron in a microwave-safe measuring jug and break it up with your fingertip. Pour in the water/stock/wine (two cups total liquid), microwave until hot and let the saffron steep while you do the next steps.

Heat a film of olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Season the chicken wings aggressively with salt and pepper and place them in the pan. Don't try to flip them until the skin is ready to release pretty easily from the pan. Get them browned on all sides and nearly cooked-through while you cut up the vegetables.

Peel and mince the garlic and shallot. De-seed and mince the pepper. Trim any stems off the green beans and cut them in half.

When the wings are about done, push them to the outer rim of the pan and dump in the garlic, shallot and peppers. Stir and fry them for a couple minutes to soften them and get them a little golden brown. Squeeze in the tomato paste, stir and cook for another minute. Dump in the green beans, stir and cook for about two minutes.

Pour in all the liquid and saffron, stir and season with salt until the liquid tastes saltier than you want it, to account for the rice you're about to add. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to a high simmer, and never stir the paella again. Just let it cook unitl the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and is almost cooked (test by tasting). If the rice is still very crispy and all the water is gone, you can always sprinkle some more water on any dry patches.

When the rice is almost-but-not-quite cooked, turn the heat up to boil out any excess water and brown the bottom layer of rice, known as the socarrat. On my gas stove, I used high heat, but on a more powerful stove you might want medium-high. Use your nose to determine when the bottom is browning and when it is about to burn — I take mine off the heat when I just start to smell burning.

Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving, during which time you can cut your lemon into wedges. Use a wide, rigid serving spoon to scrape the socarrat off the bottom when scooping onto plates. Squeeze lemon over top at the table.