Water, water and more water; plus a calamari and chorizo salad

Many of you may be aware I live in Brisbane, Queensland, and today the city braces itself for some of our worst ever river floods. Since yesterday I have not been able to take my eyes off the television or from my laptop looking for news from loved ones saying that they are safe. Check out Travelling with Ana's incredible photos of the city as the river rises...and is no where near its peak yet.

While the skies continued to precipitate upon us yesterday I wanted my beloved and I to share in an easy but nice meal to remind us of the importance of being with your loved ones during these scary times. I went to the shops, stocked up on food and bought a couple of tasty treats, including some calamari (although it wasn't fresh...but I wasn't about to complain about that) and yummy spanish chorizo sausage. After some cutting and quick cooking, the TSRK calamari and chorizo salad was born.

TSRK calamari and chorizo salad
by The Self-Raising Kitchen

TSRK calamari and chorizo salad
(photo by My Beloved)

Ingredients
1 calamari tube, sliced
1 spanish chorizo sausage
200g baby spinach leaves
1/2 capsicum
1 tomato
1/2 cucumber
1/4 cup basil
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
250g chickpeas
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
Splash of white wine
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

The best thing about this salad is you can add are delete any of the above that you may or may not like.

Method
Slice and fry chorizo sausage. Leave on a paper towel to sop up any oil or fat.
Chop up your salad items - tomato, cucumber, capsicum and place in a large bowl along with your chickpeas, torn basil and chopped parsley.
Slice your calamari and place in a bowl with salt and pepper and half the lemon juice. Reheat the same pan you cooked the chorizo in and cook garlic and chilli for 1 minute. Add wine, cook for a further 30 seconds, then add the calamari and cook for about 2 minutes or until they turn white. Turn off your element, add spinach and mix around until it is just wilting.  Place calamari and chorizo in the bowl with your salad and mix around.  Add the rest of the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. It is ready to serve.


PLEASE HELP!
My heart goes out to all those people across Queensland who have lost their homes, possessions, or worse, loved ones. If you would like to help support these people rebuild their lives once flood levels start to recede please visit the Queensland Premier's Flood Appeal. Every little bit helps!