IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Kevin Dawson

Sarasota chef Kevin Dawson has prepared food for concerts and music festivals, and he can often be found behind the grill at various downtown events. Dawson enjoys the beach, and has incorporated an island theme into his barbecued chicken recipe, which includes a side of sweet potatoes and grilled vegetable skewers topped with a spicy papaya sauce.

Marinade:
1 Large onion diced fine

5-7 cloves of garlic diced fine

Juice of 1 large grapefruit

3-5 dashes of soy sauce

3 cups of water

1/2 bunch of cilantro chopped

Combine all ingredients and marinate the chicken, then grill the chicken until thoroughly cooked.

Tangy papaya ketchup:
2 large, over-ripe papayas, peeled, deseeded and cubed

2 large onions, diced

8-12 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced

Juice of 3 limes

Sugar or Splenda to taste

Vinegar of pickled hot peppers to taste

Instructions
Sauté the diced garlic and onion until just brown. Add the papaya cubes, simmer over low heat for several hours, stir occasionally and add water if mixture becomes too thick. Slowly add vinegar from hot peppers, and taste for desired level of hotness. Add the juice of the limes. Add sugar/Splenda while stirring, taste to check level of sweetness. Continue cooking over low heat until desired thickness is achieved. Spread the sauce over the vegetable skewers and grill until sauce is baked on.