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!

Rainbow Parmesan Chicken Salad

I am trying to make healthier dinners as we have agreed to participate in a Mini Olympics on 1 June and The Age Run to the G on 22 June. I am not sure what has come over my husband or I, as this is SO out of character. We made many resolutions with our move to Melbourne and this is just one of them - getting fit. I have never ran 10 KM in my life (probably have walked it briskly in a shopping frenzy). Even more bold is my husband who has committed to run the half marathon (in just over a month - ouch). I think we are envisioning the pot of gold at the end of the run, rather than the pain we are putting ourselves through beforehand - not surprisingly, that pot of gold is vino and food, and hopefully more svelte frames!

In the spirit of healthy living, and protein rich dinners, here is a new recipe which I am titling Rainbow Parmesan Chicken Salad - I love strong presentation in meals and this recipe is most certainly a medley of rich winter colours. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green .... missing Blue, Indigo and Violet.

Ingredients & Preparation:

4 X 200g chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thinly

3 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 cob of sweet corn

200g baby spinach leaves

100g rocket

1 green capsicum, thinly sliced

240g or 1 punnet baby Roma tomatoes

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup pesto

extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

sea salt and cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Dip the chicken in the egg whites and press into the Parmesan. Place on a baking tray, and cook under a preheated hot grill for 5-8 minutes or until crunchy and golden.

Wrap cob of corn in aluminum foil, spray with olive oil and top with pepper and sea salt. Place in oven alongside the chicken.

Place the spinach, rocket, capsicum, tomatoes and green onions in a bowl and toss to combine.

Combine the pesto, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together.

Divide the salad between plates, top with chicken and corn, then spoon over the basil oil dressing to serve.

Bon Appetit!

Jamie Oliver's Strawberry & Halloumi Salad

Jamie Oliver is the inspiration behind a lot of my cooking, and this ripper of a salad is once again inspired by the Naked Chef. This salad was on the menu for my last two dinner parties, and was an instant crowd pleaser. The luscious vermilion red of the berries alongside the rich green salad leaves present like eye candy; the warm halloumi nestling beneath the berries and greens completes this surprise package. Try this unusual combination of ingredients and I am sure you will not be disappointed. To maximise the impact of this salad, source organic berries from a local market (I go to Boroondarra Farmers' Market), and I guarantee this extra effort will pay dividends.

Ingredients and Preparation:

300g strawberries, hulled and cut in half

Balsamic vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra Virgin Olive oil

A few fresh basil leaves

250g halloumi cheese cut into thin slices

A few springs of fresh mint

Mixed salad leaves: for example, baby spinach and rocket

Drizzle strawberries with a generous splash of balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper - this will draw out and flavour the strawberries.

Preheat a large non-stick frying pan to medium heat, and add a splash of olive oil. Fry halloumi slices for one minute on each side until lightly golden and crisp.

To serve, place a few pieces of halloumi on each plate. Mix the greens and strawberries together in a bowl. Pile this mixture on top of the halloumi. If desired, drizzle with additional balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

Note: Jamie Oliver drapes speck / prosciutto over the salad. I have made it with and without the prosciutto. The version pictured is without the cured meat. I think there is enough going on with this salad to exclude the proscuitto.

Bon Appetit!