Stay in touch with Florida Monthly:
Florida Monthly Blog | Florida Monthly RSS feed 
| Florida Monthly on Twitter 
The Cure for Spring Fever: Florida Fruits and Veggies
 |
| by Chef Justin Timineri Florida's Culinary Ambassador |
As calendars turn to March, a longing begins for the flowers and fruits of spring. This is a great time of year to brush off the chill of winter and let visions of spring vegetables and fruits fill the mind. Just as the seasons change, so do cooking methods and ingredients. Heavier winter recipes begin to transform into much lighter fare. Summer will be just around the corner and the hearty dishes that made winter so wonderful would be unthinkable. It is a natural transition that would happen whether we thought about it or not. There is an undeniable correlation between what our bodies need, the time of year and the foods that grow. While sometimes taken for granted, it is an important natural process.
Spring also is a great time to start growing personal gardens. Imagine stepping out the back door to pick ripe, plump strawberries for dessert, tender green beans to sauté and armfuls of tomatoes to make fresh salad. This is a reality for those willing to plant a garden. There is nothing like cooking with produce grown a few steps away. The second-best option is to visit a local farmer or growers market to procure the best the season has to offer. Here are a few tasty recipes to get the mind and palate thinking spring. Enjoy!
BAKED VEGETABLE TORTILLA TOWERS
12 flat hard shell corn tortillas (tostada size)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups Florida mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Florida carrots, sliced as thin as possible
1 medium Florida zucchini, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 ½ cups low-fat jack cheese (or your
favorite), grated
1 cup homemade Florida vegetable salsa
(or your favorite)
¼ cup low-fat sour cream
½ cup scallions, chopped
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat in a sauté pan. Add onion and sauté, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add all other vegetables and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Place four tortillas on baking sheet; evenly distribute a few spoonfuls of the sautéed vegetables on each tortilla, than add a small amount of the cheese. Repeat so that you have four stacks with three tortillas each. Make sure to save some cheese for the top of the last layer. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes until the stacks are heated throughout. Garnish the top of each stack with salsa, sour cream and scallions. Serve warm.
FLORIDA VEGETABLE SALSA
2 cups Florida eggplant, small diced
1 cup Florida zucchini, small diced
1 cup Florida green pepper, small diced
1 cup Florida red bell pepper, small diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Florida tomato, small diced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dried or
2 tablespoons fresh (chopped) basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh (chopped) thyme leaves
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon natural sugar
Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers and garlic until just under done (around 5 to 7 minutes). Add tomato and remaining ingredients. Cook 2 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Remove from heat and let cool on countertop before placing in the refrigerator. Serve as a dip or as a topping for chicken or fish.
 |
Print these Recipes |