chicken crackers

Hey, you know how I made Chicken Christmas Crackers for Christmas Eve {well, that's it, I've used up all my Cs...} well they were rather yum, so I thought I'd best share how I made them.

I couldn't find the camera - but they looked somewhat like this - except with more of a twist at the end!

Now, you know me, I don't really measure. This here's an approximation of a recipe. Personally I never think you can have enough lemon or pepper - but adjust it to your taste and enjoy. Seriously, they're yum.

500g chicken mince

3 diced eshallots

2 cloves garlic, diced

grated rind of one lemon

chopped fresh parsley and tarragon to taste {I probably used 2tblsp each}

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 to 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs {or fresh if you don't have panko - but please buy some}

1 egg

salt and freshly ground pepper - lots

1/2 cup of melted butter

filo pastry

Preheat oven to around 180 degrees celcius and grease a couple of trays.

Mix all ingredients except filo and butter in a bowl till thoroughly combined.

Cut the filo pastry in half, then take two sheets, brush one half with butter and fold so you have a rectangle. Grab a little filling and form into a sausage shape and place in the centre - leaving about 7cm or so at each end. Brush butter on one side and roll up so you have a long cylinder. Grab each end right where the filling ends and twist so you have a christmas cracker. Place this on a tray and brush with butter.

Continue till all filling's used up.

Bake for around 10 minutes, till golden, then turn and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. Check the filling's cooking by giving it a squeeze. If it feels firm, that means it's setting nicely.

Take out and serve - ideally with a sweet chilli and lime dipping sauce {or you could leave it at home on the bench - up to you}. To make the sauce combine 2/3 sweet chilli sauce and 1/3 lime juice - preferably from a bottle - easy peasy. This is also my preferred dipping sauce for salt and pepper squid and rice paper rolls - doesn't get easier.

Of course, now it's christmas you don't need to make these in a cracker shape. They'd make ideal nibblies in little triangle form, or even as a little lolly size - you know, a ball and then rolled at the ends. Perfect!