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

Sometimes I sit and contemplate the natural wonders and goings on of life.

I've just had the first mandarin from a tiny shrub I plated six months ago.

Unfortunately, the poor plant was chewed at; almost to death by an over excited puppy. The same canine menace has tormented the chickens to such a point where some of them sleep in the hedge. A year after hatching one chicken has become so traumatised it's decided to cock-a-doodle-do at 5.35am every morning.

This quirk of nature's reliable alarm has yet to raise any concerns with the neighbourhood.

As the chickens are still looking the same as they ever did, the stealth rooster may avoid detection for a while.

The cute, ball-of-fluff puppy seems to have a liking for the leaves and trunk of the mandarin tree, so it's now surrounded by a small fence just like on a real farm.

Most of us have snacked on a few mandarins, as they are sweet and juicy; and fortunately for us during winter, they act as Mother Nature's vitamin C booster. Naturally, citrus of all types thrive in winter and I've always liked the fact they're the colours of the sun.

As most of us just peel and eat them, I thought it would be nice to include them in a simple filo pastry dish, teaming them with cranberry and chicken.

Filo parcel of marinated chicken, cranberry and mandarin

Ingredients

Melted butter, for brushing on filo

1 packet filo pastry

500g boneless chicken thighs

¾ cup soya sauce

½ cup runny honey

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp powdered ginger

4-6 mandarins, broken into segments

2-3 Tbsp cranberry sauce

Method

Cut the chicken into small fillets and marinate for several hours in a mix of the powdered spices, honey and soya sauce.

Afterwards, bake off chicken in a moderate oven about 150-160 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes until cooked through but not dry.

Cool the chicken. Lay out one filo sheet. Quickly butter and place another sheet on top. Place a few chicken fillets near the bottom edge, then lay some mandarins next to them and a few dabs of cranberry sauce.

Carefully roll the whole thing into a cylinder. Remember to work quickly with the filo and brush well with butter, so it doesn't dry out.

Repeat the process until all of the chicken is used up. Bake the parcels in a hot oven – about 170-180 degrees Celsius – until golden brown and serve as a light meal.