If you are not using snails in your paella, which would be traditional in Valencia you could do a first course tapa of escargot with parsley and garlic served sizzling hot. I like Inko's suggestion of a salad based on oranges and black olives. An alternative would be luques or cerignola olives (leave the pits in) mixed up with marcona almonds and perhaps boquerones (pickled white anchovies).
Agree with all that you don't need a side. But if you do want a salad: oranges, black olives and red onions would be pretty and would cut the richness of the paella.
Agree with much of the above - tapas first, paella, and then salad course after - sherry vinegar is a great idea as above, but maybe add some heart of palm and avocado to the salad.
Agree with much of the above - tapas first, paella, and then salad course after - sherry vinegar is a great idea as above, but maybe add some heart of palm and avocado to the salad.
This salad would be nice with or without the lemon segments (read the comments) https://food52.com/recipes/16940-april-bloomfield-s-lemon-caper-dressing
I don't often have paella with a side, because it's a pretty flavourful and complex dish. However, whenever my family makes a paella it's sometimes accompanied with a side of patatas bravas (although this might be a bit much with the rice) or, better still, asparagus fried with lemon and garlic.
You don't say what type of paella you're making (chicken/pork or seafood or a combo) but generally, paella has so many layers of flavor and texture already, that I'd tend to keep the accompaniments fairly simple. I think all you need is a green salad, with a vinaigrette made with Spanish sherry vinegar. And/or, good sliced tomatoes and/or roast peppers, dressed with that same sherry vinaigrette. For dessert, I love flan too - maybe along with some fresh figs.
I wouldn't serve too many "sides" with paella to distract from its "star of the show" status. I think garlic goes well so if you were looking for sides I would do roasted sweet peppers in garlic or a garlicky salad etc. If your paella is non seafood than perhaps a seafood appetizer...calamari, garlic shrimp and if the reverse is true than maybe iberian ham with figs etc. The best spanish themed parties I've been to started with an array of Tapas during cocktail hour and then we sat down to Paella. If it was of interest once you had your taps menu you could go to a good wine merchant and get help picking out a number of sherries to provide a both fun and educational tasting to accompany the tapas.
A hearty green salad with chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce, corn, peppers and cucumbers. Grilled or poached asparagus. A cold broccoli or artichoke salad. For dessert - flan, fruit salad, or spice cookies.
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