The growing season is in full swing, with bountiful harvests of just about every vegetable and fruit available ripening in our backyard. We want to recognize the hard work behind this natural and man-powered bounty with a meal fit for a Floridian, from native conchs to snowbird, tourist and transplant alike, with four courses coming fresh from Florida.
Below, Chef Justin Timineri is offering up a number of recipes made with ingredients sourced from the fertile lands and bountiful seas on and around this peninsula in hopes to give folks a new epicurean view of the Sunshine State. Who better to tap for these recipes then Timineri, a Florida native and the official State Chef of Florida, employed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. His cooking style and tastes touch on Southern comfort foods and Caribbean flavors to haute cuisine and all points in between, creating a menagerie of all of Florida’s cultural influences into easy-to-make dishes.
Click on the images below for the recipes.
A vegetarian’s delight, these crispy fried goodies are low-cal and totally plant-based. |
Crispy Prosciutto and Avocado Crostini
Light and crunchy, these Florida-based bites are great for a starter or tapas style dining.
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Grilled Florida Peach Salad with Candied Pecans
This unique salad incorporates so many sweet ingredients you amost forget you’re eating healthy. |
Chilled Florida Wildflower Honey and Carrot Soup
When the weather outside is not so frightful, this chilled carrot soup recipe hits the spot. |
Florida Pesto Pasta with Tomato-Basil Relish
Old World flavors break through with a Sunshine State twist with this pesto pasta recipe. |
Fresh Florida seafood takes center stage in the steamy clam recipe. |
After being fully feted with the last three courses, indulge your guests with a savory dessert and some sangria, Florida style. Little known fact: Florida is a pretty prolific grower of highbush blueberries. These tart little berries are sold either fresh in bundles, turned into preserves and jams, and even into some pretty tasty wines. Though season primarily runs through spring, unseasonably warm winters for the past few years have bounced harvest times up a bit and they are starting to roll into market early. So the next two recipes take their cues from the blueberry, enjoy.
Blueberry wine never tasted so good as when in fruity Florida Sangria, great for lazy afternoons or poolside get-togethers. |
Rustic Florida Blueberry Cobbler
Save room for dessert! Chef Justin Timineri’s blueberry cobbler is sweet and flaky, a true Southern favorite. |
The official chef of Florida, Justin Timineri, shares some of his recipes with us. A proponent of eating healthy, locally grown and harvested produce and seafood, Timineri creates recipes that imbue that Fresh From Florida flavor. For more on Chef Justin, click here.
Recipes and images courtesy of Chef Justin Timineri and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For more recipes from Timineri’s kitchen, click here.
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