Cream of the Crop ... Chorizo, Calamari and Baby Potato Salad

This recipe was inspired by a relaxing lunch in Fitzroy at Birdman Eating, teamed up with some heavy hitting celebrity spotting. Ever since I enjoyed the salad alongside Geoffrey Rush and his second hand smoke, I have had it in the back of my mind that a) I need to get back to this restaurant to try the salad again and b) I need to emulate this dish in my own recipe repertoire. While I have yet to return to Geoffrey's hole in the wall eatery in Fitzroy, I have managed to fiddle with this recipe a few times before getting it Oscar worthy. I am bound to bump into Geoffrey again some time soon as he is a local in my neighbourhood, and I am sure we frequent at least some of the same haunts!

Ingredients & Preparation:

2 chorizo sausages, sliced

4 new baby potatoes, cooked and sliced thinly

1 squid, ringed or cut into squares and scored

Large bag of Rocket

1/2 cup crème fraîche (or good quality sour cream)

1/2 cup aioli (or good quality mayonnaise)

1 tsp dried mustard

Sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

1 tsp white wine vinegar

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2-3 tbsp chopped parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

Lemon wedges to serve

Season calamari with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper and juice of half a lemon, then set aside.

For the dressing, combine crème fraîche, aioli, extra virgin olive oil, remaining lemon juice, sea salt, white wine vinegar, black pepper and chopped parsley. Set aside.

Boil baby potatoes in salted water until just done, being careful not to overcook. When the potatoes are almost done cooking, fry chorizo slices on both sides on medium heat, then place in paper towel to drain any excess oil. Next, place the calamari in a separate fry pan, and cook for a few minutes, tossing in the pan throughout the process to ensure even cooking. Do no over cook as the calamari will get tough. When done cooking, remove from heat and set aside.

Drop sliced potatoes in the dressing, remove and then toss in the Rocket. Be careful not to over-dress the potatoes, otherwise the salad will be too heavy with dressing. Toss gently to ensure potatoes stay whole. Place rocket and potato mixture on to 4 plates, then top with chorizo and calamari. Serve with a lemon wedge or alternatively drizzle lemon on the salad just prior to serving. Serves 4.

This recipe will be dictated by the freshness of the calamari and the quality of the chorizo. Be sure to source fresh squid from a good fish monger (who will clean and prepare it in front of you), and use chorizo from a good butcher or fresh food market.

Bon Appetit!