Dazz Switalla Flavour Secrets No.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz

With the build-up of the heat during the day and energy-zapping afternoon slog around the garden, the last thing you want is a big meal. So afterwards, you take a leisurely stroll down town and into a newly established eatery for a couple of cold beers and a light snack.

The tapas concept of little bites to eat while drinking is all the rage it seems, and why not it? But it does take a while for us Kiwis to adapt firstly to alfresco dinning and then to the concept of mezze.

In Europe, of course, it's more an ingrained tradition. In Greece the men (usually) sit around discussing the affairs of the day, drinking beer and nibbling on fresh plates of mezze. With every beer they order, a fresh mezze plate turns up.

This is usually at no charge for the small ever-changing plate of freshly cooked village pork or simple feta and olives with bread. The concept works well, as you end up spending a few hours there drinking, eating and enjoying some shady respite from the searing heat. The concept works well here as well, except the bill charges you for every morsel. Perhaps that's why the Greeks have fallen over their own fiscal cliff.

So this week's recipe is somewhat of new twist on something I had while sipping Methos beer in a taverna on a searing hot day in Greece. This is an ideal summer snack and has an interesting range of textures. You will need a cappuccino machine to make the yoghurt ricotta but you can substitute this for plain store-bought ricotta.

Frenched Babs with Moroccan Spiced Chicken and Yoghurt Ricotta

Makes 8 portions

Ingredients

4 baps

2 eggs

½ C milk

4 skinned and boned chicken thighs

1 tsp fennel seeds

1tbsp coriander seeds

1tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried oregano

½ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp chilli

Sea salt and fresh pepper

2-3 tbsp olive oil

300g thick Greek yoghurt

¼ C milk

3-4 leaves mint, chopped

Rind and juice of fresh lime

Method

Cut up the chicken thighs into slices and place in a bowl. Crush all the spices in a mortar and pestle and sprinkle over with a little oil and marinate for a few hours.

Now the fun part! In a stainless jug, froth the heck out of the milk and yoghurt and bring it up to a froth, then let the mix settle for a minute. There should be curds and whey drain off the clear liquid. Use a fine sieve to assist.

Then put in zest and juice and chopped mint. Place in cheese cloth and hang for a few hours. Then transfer to a suitable dish for refrigeration

Bake the chicken pieces in a moderate oven (180 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes or until cooked.

Next beat the eggs with the milk and dip in half of baps. Fry off in a pan. Add the chicken to the top of the bap, accompanied by a spoonful of yoghurt ricotta. Garnish with chopped herbs and salad leaves.