Feeds 4-5; prep time 10 min; cooking time 35 min

3 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
250g paella rice
300g peas
450g courgettes, cubed
1 handful of mint, chopped
1 litre of chicken stock (infused with a pinch of saffron)
1 glass of white wine
2 rabbits or 1 medium chicken, cut into pieces

Heat the oil in a paella pan and when it is hot add the rabbit or chicken pieces. Brown them evenly on all sides, then remove. Add the onions and brown them over a medium heat for 5 minutes before adding the garlic, courgettes and peas.

Turn up the heat a little and continue cooking the vegetables for a further 5 minutes so that they begin to brown. Now stir in the rice before adding the chicken stock and wine. Season well with salt and pepper and return the meat to the pan, (excluding the rabbit saddle or chicken breast). Cook over a low heat for 15 minutes before adding the rest of the meat. Cook for a further 10 minutes until the rice grains are tender but still with some bite to them.

Let it rest in a warm place for 5 minutes before scattering with chopped mint.

Nutritionist’s verdict

Tuck In. . . to raise your spirits

Served between five people this paella is much leaner than its traditional Spanish counterpart. It has 483 calories per person and 14g of fat (when served between five), the vast majority of which is unsaturated. The combination of peas and rabbit mean that from one serving you get a quarter of a woman’s and a third of a man’s iron needs for the day. This mineral is crucial for good concentration and to fight low moods. You would get slightly less iron if using chicken. Meanwhile the rice, courgettes, rabbit and peas give us useful amounts of bone-strengthening calcium, and the peas particularly supply fibre, with one serving of paella providing over 25 per cent of our daily 18g fibre goal. Much of this fibre is soluble, which appears to help to lower cholesterol and to keep blood sugar levels steady and stable and give a longer sense of fullness. AMANDA URSELL www.amandaursell.com

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