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Newsletter: In the Kitchen: Vegetable-centered paella and English peas

Recipe: Paella with artichokes and mushrooms
(Christina House / For The Times)
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Paella is one of those dishes that is both rustic yet stunning enough for company: a wide pan of saffron-tinted rice tinted with an almost endless array of options. Perhaps you’re craving seafood. Maybe you prefer yours flavored with tender bits of chicken or rabbit, along with bits of spiced chorizo. But have you ever consided a vegetarian paella, taking your inspiration from seasonal produce?

Speaking of which, we can’t take our eyes off the English peas we’ve found at the farmers markets, and we have several great recipe ideas. We also have a bit of a sweet tooth at the moment: Food editor Amy Scattergood is a fan of the chocolate fondant cake from République, so much so she was able to get the recipe. We also revisit a reader favorite: the brown butter cookies in our Recipe Database.

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Finally, if you’re a bread fan, you’ll want to check out Amy Halloran’s new book, “The New Bread Basket,” in our latest review.

Noelle Carter

You won’t miss the meat with these paella ideas

Recipe: Paella with turnips, peas and spring onions.
(Christina House / For The Times)

Imagine a pan of paella studded with colorful baby artichokes and rich, earthy mushrooms. Or perhaps flavored with with caramelized bits of turnips, spring peas and onions. Food writer and cookbook author Martha Rose Shulman explores a twist on the classic Spanish dish taking her inspiration from spring produce. Fix one of these recipes next time you plan on enterrtaining a few friends -- they might never guess their dinner is meat-free.

Ideas for all the English peas showing up right now

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Sure, English peas can be a little time-consuming for the busy cook, as the pods need to be shucked before you can use them. But then enjoy the peas cooked or raw -- vibrant green and full of bright flavor, they’re a perfect taste of spring. We have some great recipe ideas too.

Make this for the chocolate lover in your life

The Valhrona chocolate fondant from Republique.
(Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times)

Kind of a cross between a rich pudding and a barely-set flourless chocolate cake, the chocolate fondant cake from pastry chef Margarita Manzke of République is revelatory. Topped with toasted hazelnuts and a simple scoop of ice cream, this is one treat to make any chocolate lover swoon. Now you can savor the dessert at the restaurant, or in the comfort of your own home.

You need to make these brown butter cookies

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Recipe: Bittersweet Treat's brown butter cookies
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

If you’ve never used brown butter in a recipe, it is remarkable for the depth of flavor and almost nutty notes it adds to a dish. These rich cookies are no exception. The recipe, from the now-closed Bittersweet Treats, lives on, and is one of our reader favorites.

Add this bread book to your collection

If your passion for bread extends to the local grain movement and regional grain production, you’ll definitely want to check out Amy Halloran’s new book, “The New Bread Basket.” Channeling her four-decade obsession with pancakes, the book goes on to explore the state of bread in America. And she does include one recipe: for her favorite pancakes.

Love cooking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

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Check out the thousands of recipes in our Recipe Database.

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