Garlic and milk roast chicken (Chkmeruli)

1. Cut the chicken along the backbone, open it out and press flat at the breastbone (or cut it into quarters), pat dry with kitchen paper and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

2. Melt the butter in a large, ideally cast-iron frying pan (traditionally a clay ketsi dish) and lay the chicken in skin side down; put a smaller lid or plate on top, weigh it down and fry over medium heat for about 15 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp.

3. Turn it over and cook the other side for 10-12 minutes until cooked through (the juices run clear at the thickest part of the thigh); meanwhile preheat the oven to 200 °C.

4. Peel the garlic and pound it to a paste with a pinch of salt in a mortar, or chop very finely; in a small pan heat the milk with the cream (no need to boil) and stir in the garlic.

5. Pour the garlic milk over the chicken in the pan and bake in the oven for another 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and starts to bubble.

6. Serve piping hot straight from the pan, generously spooned with sauce; fresh bread or mchadi (cornbread) is ideal for mopping up the garlicky sauce.

Tip: Don't be shy with the garlic – the whole point of chkmeruli is the bold, milky garlic sauce. For a lighter version, replace the cream with another 100 ml of milk.