A Veggie-Centric Paella Party Menu

Paella is super flavorful, crowd-pleasing, and an absolute stunner on the table. We asked our friends at The Culinistas, a Manhattan-based personal chef service, to put together a veggie-centric paella party menu for us. (They’ve also helped us in the past with meal-prep strategies.) As the kids say, they understood the assignment. If the charred poblano and mushroom paella doesn’t win you over, the tart honey, lemon, and hibiscus cocktail will.

• Green Paella

  This vegetarian paella is a stunning deep-green color—the green broth is made of charred poblanos and fresh parsley. Resist the temptation to stir the rice once it starts cooking and you will be rewarded with the prized crispy bottom called socarrat. It’s heaven.

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  Herby Baby Lima Beans

  These herby beans have a lot going for them, but it’s the technique that we’ll be hanging on to and riffing on from here on out. Some sautéed aromatics along with fresh herbs, spices, and lemon juice can turn humble beans (even frozen or canned) into something you’ll be excited to eat.

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• Smashed Potatoes with Yogurt Dip

  Parboiling, smashing, and roasting baby potatoes leads to crispy perfection. They stay tender and creamy in the center and get an incredible crusty exterior. Dunking them into this briny and lemony yogurt dip is pure delight.

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  Leafy Greens with Radishes

  Combining raw and cooked versions of the same ingredient in one dish automatically elevates it. This salad does that with radishes—you get to experience all those contrasting and complementary textures and flavors.

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• Hivemind

  Give your cocktail a fancy rim: Grind dried hibiscus leaves into a powder, mix it with a little salt and sugar, and rim each glass before serving. It will add a little taste of floral, bitter salty sweetness to each sip.

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