Tres Pollos!

Three chickens! Chicken is one of my all-time favorite foods...not only is it inexpensive, but it is so versatile and delicious! Chicken is used quite a bit in Florida cooking. Think southern fried chicken for one...yum! The recipes I'm featuring this week are chicken done 3 different, distinct ways.....but I suspect that if you try them, you will love them! As you may already know, Florida has many cultural influences. And given our warm, sub-tropical climate, we can grow many of the fruits and vegetables associated with warmer climates, such as those in South America and the Carribean....and we can also grow more "south-Asian"-style choices (such as lemongrass).

How about trying Sticky-Chicken Skewers with 3 Sauces? The chicken, marinated in Asian spices,including some fresh-chopped lemongrass and chives from our garden, is paired with 3 different sauces of your choice: Banana Curry, Thai Peanut and Sweet n' Sour. Along with fragrant Jasmine rice and a side of spicy cabbage, it is a meal that can transport you! *These Asian flavors can seem difficult to pair with a wine, but we paired this particular meal quite well with a lovely, German Riesling "Funf: 5". I was pleasantly suprised because I'd always thought rieslings were nearly candy-sweet wines...but this one was not that at al!! This riesling went very well with this meal!


Another, more South American, option for chicken is Chicken Enchiladas. Leftover cooked chicken (such as that from last night's rotisserie chicken) is folded, along with shredded Mexican cheeses, in corn tortillas....rolled up, topped with a sauce and served with rice and the vegetable of your choice. Yum!

How about trying Fontina Chicken? This is my 'take' on Swiss Chicken. While I do admit that I used a bit of whole, whipping cream to make the sauce (really, nothing has the body of that nor thickens up better), it is not all that bad once in awhile, especially utilized in small amounts. And I have found that a carton of whole whipping cream can keep rather well in the fridge...generally you don't have to use the entire carton that week! Just the same, I'd recommend getting the smallest size you can (unless you really do plan to use quite a bit in a short period of time or have a group to cook for)....this time I bought the smaller, 16 oz carton. I only used a portion of it for the recipe for just the 2 of us, of course. Try pairing this dish with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

Try these recipes if you're looking for something different from perhaps the usual chicken offerings! And if the weather is balmy enough, by all means, serve dinner on the patio with candles.