# Paella dinner - what goes with it?



## GotGarlic

Hi, all. DH and I are having two couples over for dinner tomorrow night and I'm making paella and sangria. I need some ideas for Spanish-inspired appetizers and dessert. Thanks


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## lindatooo

How about Tapas?  There are many recipes out there for these little appetizers and they are very tasty!  Also a nice crisp salad to clear the palate.


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## Dina

Authentic Spanish Recipes and Customer Favorites from LaTienda.com  Try this link.  It has lots of Spanish recipes from appetizers to desserts.


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## kitchenelf

How about a little Hungarian Tapas (um....that would be ME) 

How about a little gazpacho in cucumber cups?  Or just a bowl will do too!

Or some Spanish prosciutto (Italian is fine also) wrapped around some cantelope?

Right now I have acid reflux so even looking at recipes is "bothersome" - here is a link that may or may not be of use.  Can't really look at it   Sorry!


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## ironchef

Tapas Recipes, Small Plates and Spanish Cooking Ideas: Parties: Party Ideas: Food Network


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## QSis

ironchef said:


> Tapas Recipes, Small Plates and Spanish Cooking Ideas: Parties: Party Ideas: Food Network


 

Oo!  GREAT link, i.c.

I love tapas and the problem I always have is deciding what to leave out.  I always make way too many dishes.

Lee


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## GotGarlic

Thanks for the ideas. I found a recipe for serrano ham-wrapped melon balls marinated in sherry vinegar, lemon juice and a few other things that sounds perfect for an appetizer. And I think I'm going to take it easy on dessert and buy a pound cake from a local bakery. Maybe a lemon pound cake and make mint sauce.


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## BreezyCooking

The last time I made a big paella dinner I kept it pretty simple. Margheritas with tortilla chips, salsa, & guacamole; followed by Gazpacho with lots of different add-your-own toppings; pitchers of both white & red Sangria; the Paella & a big green salad. Dessert was homemade flan in individual custard cups that I unmolded on dessert plates.

Both the Gazpacho & the Flan were made the day before, so I only had the Paella, salad, drinks, & dips to contend with on dinner day.


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## GotGarlic

Hey, Breezy, that does sound good  Unfortunately, gazpacho is not a favorite of mine - I'm not crazy about the flavors of raw garlic, onion and peppers. I have several heirloom tomatoes from the garden and, although it's not really "Spanish," I'm going to make this tomato salad I saw this morning on Jamie Oliver's show: Recipes : The Mothership Tomato Salad : Food Network, using sherry vinegar.


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## kitchenelf

GG - I do something VERY similar with tomatoes except I add roasted shallots to mine.  The roasted shallots add a really nice sweetness to the dish.

Sounds like everything is coming together!!!  I agree with using Sherry vinegar - it's good stuff!


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## ironchef

kitchenelf said:


> I agree with using Sherry vinegar - it's good stuff!



Sherry vin is one my favorites to use. It has such a clean flavor that is much more versatile than balsamic, yet it isn't so acidic like something like white wine vin. Sherry, Banyuls, Rice Wine, and Balsamic are probably the four vinegars that get the most usage by me.

GG, another type of cuisine which would go well with your theme would be Basque cuisine. Do a search on it and you'lll probably find some recipes that would appeal to you.


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## LEFSElover

kitchenelf said:


> Or some Spanish prosciutto (Italian is fine also) wrapped around some cantelope?


One day I had the best prosciutto at the most heavenly store but I didn't buy it as it was $129 a pound. The one I tasted it with and I enjoyed it soooo much............now go take a prilosec


QSis said:


> I love tapas I always make way too many dishes.Lee


 There's no such thing as too much of a good thing



GotGarlic said:


> Hi, all. DH and I are having two couples over for dinner tomorrow night and I'm making paella and sangria. I need some ideas for Spanish-inspired appetizers and dessert. Thanks


How bout starting with a little tapa salad.
I love those little frozen bags of seafood medleys. They're small and cook up in seconds.
They probably only hold about 1 cup worth total. 
Arugula on a plate tossed with spanish olive oil and a good sherry vinegar with salt and pepper, as the base and quick fry up that defrosted packet. Make sure it's not wet, wouldn't hurt to open package and place on strainer before dropping in fat. The one I got yesterday contains: squid/shrimp/crab/lobster/clams/octopus/salmon/halibut. Lightly toss in seasoned flour, pat off excess, drop in a heated nonstick skillet with butter and olive <but not much of either, you're just barely dropping in the skillet getting color, cooking it through, it won't take more than about 2 minutes total [don't over cook or you'll end up with rubbery pieces that are hard to chew] then drop on salad. Eat/serve as soon as it's done and top with fresh lemon zest, shards of parm cheese and specialty spanish olives from your supermarket deli section.


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## kitchenelf

That was some awesome prosciutto, wasn't it?  So very dark and rich!!!

OH - thanks for the reminder to take a Prilosec -  - going right now!


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## quicksilver

All of it sounds wonderful. I wouldn't know where to begin and when to stop. I'm sure your affair will be perfect.                                                                 
Enjoy!                                                                  


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## ChefJune

You really don't need much!  a couple of my favorites:

Alcachofas con jamon... canned artichoke hearts wrapped with Serrano ham
Grilled bread with sautéed mushrooms on...

serve with a glass of Cava (Spanish Sparkling wine -- yummy and very reasonably priced)

dessert?  the only REAL Spanish desserts are fresh fruit or flan.

I like to end a Spanish meal with a cordial glass of Licore 43, a delicious (imho) Spanish liqueur.


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## quicksilver

I'm just remembering this thread and wondering how your dinner went and what you wound up serving for appetizers.                                                                
Any pics?                                                                   
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## GotGarlic

Hey, quicksilver. It went great - I didn't see most of these suggestions, since they were posted the day of, and I was cleaning and then out shopping all morning, and cooking most of the afternoon.

For an appetizer, I marinated canteloupe balls in sherry vinegar, olive oil, one sliced hot red pepper, and S&P, then topped them with pieces of prosciutto (couldn't find serrano ham) - a combo of KitchenElf's suggestion and something I found on the La Tienda site. They were a hit 

Then I made the tomato salad as I mentioned above, and we had the paella with shrimp, lobster and clams (mussels were only available in 3-lb. bags, so I didn't get any and doubled the clams). Then I took it easy and asked a friend to bring dessert - she brought lemon-poppyseed cake and rocky road ice cream.

I have enough of the basic ingredients (saffron, Spanish short-grain rice, olive oil) left to make another batch, so I'll incorporate more of these ideas next time. Thanks so much, everyone, for your suggestions 

The only pic I got is of the paella:


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## LEFSElover

about saffron, does anyone really think it's worth that much per little tiny container?  I used mine, think it was like $45 in the cutsie little glass bobble it came in, a couple of times this month.  either my mouth is dead or it's just not that amazing of a flavor.  just my 2¢


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## buckytom

bump.

whenever we eat in fairly authentic spanish/portugese joints, the appy we order is always shrimp barely cooked in salted garlic oil, grilled octopus legs (also in a garlic oil, but not swimming in it like the shrimp) drizzled with a bit of reduced (syrupy) vinegar, and paella is always served with a side of freshly made potato chips rounds, which are slightly "meatier" than regular potato chips or crisps, but not quite french fries.

yeah, i'm jonesin' for a trip down to the ironbound section of newark - the best spanish/portugese food west  of the azores.


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## Mad Cook

I usually do gazpacho as a first course (can be made the night before the meal if you are pushed for time on the day) and, if you really must, you could serve a green salad with the paella.There's such a variety of "bits" in paella that it doesn't really need a lot of fussy accompaniments. 

As it's pretty filling, something light and refreshing that you can make ahead of time for dessert such as ice cream or fruit salad (with cream if required) or even just a platter of fresh fruit - melon, water melon, grapes, mango, peaches, apricots - whatever is in season. Paella requires most of your attention immediately before serving so you don't want to get snarled up with complicated dessert prep at the same time. 

I don't usually bother with a cheese course when I do paella but you could hunt out some Spanish cheeses if you wanted to serve cheese.


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## Mad Cook

LEFSElover said:


> One day I had the best prosciutto at the most heavenly store but I didn't buy it as it was $129 a pound. The one I tasted it with and I enjoyed it soooo much............now go take a prilosec
> There's no such thing as too much of a good thing
> 
> How bout starting with a little tapa salad.
> I love those little frozen bags of seafood medleys. They're small and cook up in seconds.
> They probably only hold about 1 cup worth total.
> Arugula on a plate tossed with spanish olive oil and a good sherry vinegar with salt and pepper, as the base and quick fry up that defrosted packet. Make sure it's not wet, wouldn't hurt to open package and place on strainer before dropping in fat. The one I got yesterday contains: squid/shrimp/crab/lobster/clams/octopus/salmon/halibut. Lightly toss in seasoned flour, pat off excess, drop in a heated nonstick skillet with butter and olive <but not much of either, you're just barely dropping in the skillet getting color, cooking it through, it won't take more than about 2 minutes total [don't over cook or you'll end up with rubbery pieces that are hard to chew] then drop on salad. Eat/serve as soon as it's done and top with fresh lemon zest, shards of parm cheese and specialty spanish olives from your supermarket deli section.


Sounds delicious but the OP will be busy with the paella immediately before serving the meal so last minute frying for the first course isn't very practical.


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## Mad Cook

LEFSElover said:


> about saffron, does anyone really think it's worth that much per little tiny container? I used mine, think it was like $45 in the cutsie little glass bobble it came in, a couple of times this month. either my mouth is dead or it's just not that amazing of a flavor. just my 2¢


Saffron, if good quality (it isn't always!), is worth every penny it costs. 

Saffron is the dried stigmas of a variety of crocus. The crocus only flowers for about 2 weeks and it takes 150 flowers to yield one gramme of saffron and the cultivation, harvesting and drying of the threads is very labour intensive. Which explains why it is so expensive.

Mind you, I think you were had at $45 (approx. £30). My last lot was brought from Spain by a friend and was good quality. It cost around £5 ($7.50) for a pack containing 4 individually wrapped portions of saffron and if I had bought it here I'd have paid about £10 ($15) for the same amount.

Be very wary of packets of anything labelled "Paella Powder or "Paella Spice". Usually this is just powdered flavourings died yellow. Also don't believe anyone (including the television cook I once watched) who tells you that turmeric can be used as a substitute for saffron. It can't!

Your expensive saffron may have been stale or just not very good quality despite it's price. Or did you taste it dry? It has to be soaked in warm water or other liquid to bring it to life and release its flavour.

Incidentally, saffron is mostly produced in Iran these days but in the 16th and 17th centuries it was produced in England around the town which became known as Saffron Walden in Essex. *Saffron Walden has an American connection*. The town cricket pitch is on land bought by and donated to the town by US servicemen after WWII. There were a lot of American airbases in Essex and the neighbouring counties during the war and I suppose the locals took the American personnel under their wing. A monument at the site commemorates the American airmen and people of Saffron Walden who died in WWII.


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## Katie H

GotGarlic said:


> Hey, quicksilver. It went great - I didn't see most of these suggestions, since they were posted the day of, and I was cleaning and then out shopping all morning, and cooking most of the afternoon.
> 
> For an appetizer, I marinated canteloupe balls in sherry vinegar, olive oil, one sliced hot red pepper, and S&P, then topped them with pieces of prosciutto (couldn't find serrano ham) - a combo of KitchenElf's suggestion and something I found on the La Tienda site. They were a hit
> 
> Then I made the tomato salad as I mentioned above, and we had the paella with shrimp, lobster and clams (mussels were only available in 3-lb. bags, so I didn't get any and doubled the clams). Then I took it easy and asked a friend to bring dessert - she brought lemon-poppyseed cake and rocky road ice cream.
> 
> I have enough of the basic ingredients (saffron, Spanish short-grain rice, olive oil) left to make another batch, so I'll incorporate more of these ideas next time. Thanks so much, everyone, for your suggestions
> 
> The only pic I got is of the paella:



This is definitely "after the fact," but if you are ever considering an encore, check out this menu.  Sounds pretty yummy to me.


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## menumaker

I was going to suggest little nibbles such as cherry tomatoes filled with cream cheese spiced with fine slivers if chili or tiny bites of cured ham wrapped around gherkins, cocktail sausages on sticks, or marinated prawns. In fact anything that is light because Paella is, as you know, very delicious but also filling. In Spain they often serve 'Flan' afterwards, which to you and me is creme Caramel. An excellent dessert in this case I think as it is made the day before and chilled. Very refreshing.


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