Cindy Taylor has presented us with a striking Cajun Calamari and Mango salad, which got her into the Top Ten with 1254 votes. She has used FILIPPO BERIO Olive Oil in the dressing which also combines the exotic flavour of the mango and brings out a spicy edge with hints of cajun spice throughout.

The colours alone are a winner! But what does Graham think of it? Has this recipe got what it takes to take Cindy and five of her friends to Tuscany?

Let’s see…

We begin by spicing the calamari as per Cindy’s instructions…

500g calamari strips

1 heaped tablespoon Cajun spice

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

50ml Filippo Berio olive oil

The mix is ready to be tossed into a steaming hot pan.

Watch this: Sizzling the calamari

To sear the calamari throughout, get tossing!

The dressing is made by mixing the following:

Pulp of 1 ripe mango

1 chopped chilli

200ml Flippo Berio olive oil

“I prefer to use my hands to mix the mango and calamari with the greens,” says Graham, “It’s so inviting, I want to feel and spread all these textures evenly – forget about tossing spoons!”

“Mmm…smells heavenly!”

“Such a fresh and summery look to this salad, could be nice to incorporate this into the menu at my restaurant – but let’s have a taste first”.

After a bit of silence, Graham finally announces:

“Marvelous! A great combination of sweetness and spice – and great contrast to the crispy greens. I expected it to taste just like this”

A sight for sore eyes hey? Bravo Cindy!

If you want to try this recipe out for yourself, follow Cindy’s instructions. It is a matter of time before we find out if this recipe is our winner!

Graham ponders hard, before he jots down Cindy’s final score…