Celebrate fresh ingredients from local farms with these recipes.

Florida Tomato and Romaine Salad with Charred Tomato Dressing

2 heads Florida romaine lettuce, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
4 Florida tomatoes, cored, 2 sliced and 2 diced
⅓ loaf French or Cuban bread
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, basil), chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
½ cup Charred Florida Tomato Dressing (plus more to serve on the side)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add olive oil, garlic, seasoning blend and half the chopped herbs. Stir ingredients to combine. Hand-tear the partial bread loaf into bite-sized pieces and add them to the bowl. Stir ingredients to coat. Place the coated crouton pieces on a baking sheet and into the preheated oven. Cook croutons for 5 to 8 minutes or until crispy. Remove the croutons from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, add the diced tomatoes and the other half of the herbs. Season the diced tomatoes with sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Assemble salad in a large serving bowl by first adding the romaine. Next, add the sliced tomatoes, and lightly season everything with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add some of the charred tomato dressing to the salad, leaving extra dressing to serve on the side. Garnish the salad with the homemade croutons and diced tomato mixture. Serve cold.

Cowboy Butter Grilled Ribeye Steak

4 ribeye steaks (cut the same size)
2 tablespoons BBQ steak seasoning blend
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon spicy brown deli mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon crunchy chili flakes, if desired
1 tablespoon fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme), finely chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat BBQ grill to medium-high heat. In a small cast iron pan, add butter, 1 tablespoon BBQ spice, garlic, mustard, paprika, lemon juice, chili flakes and herbs. Place the pan in a lower heat area of the grill. The butter mixture needs to melt, but not be cooked at high heat. Stir the cowboy butter occasionally to make sure ingredients are mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Keep warm.

Season the ribeye steaks evenly on both sides with the remaining tablespoon of the BBQ seasoning blend. Carefully place seasoned steaks on the hot part of the pre-heated BBQ grill. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on thickness. Use an internal read thermometer to accurately determine the doneness of each steak. For medium-rare, take steaks off at 130 degrees. The steaks can be brushed with cowboy butter on cooked side once they are turned over or removed from grill. Let steaks rest for 5 minutes and serve with cowboy butter on the side for dipping. Garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Serves 4.

Fresh Tip: Serve with Queso Stuffed Florida Sweet Peppers

Florida Grouper Sandwich with New Potato Salad

Florida Grouper Sandwich

8 3-oz Florida grouper fillets, sliced thin
2 Florida tomatoes, sliced
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
8 small rolls
1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon oil for cooking
⅓ cup mayonnaise
½ lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Florida New Potato Salad

6 cups Florida new potatoes, quartered, cooked and cooled
½ cup assorted-color Florida bell peppers, diced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ cup red onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Make potato salad: In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and stir to completely combine. Taste potato salad and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve cold. 

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Lightly season the grouper fillets with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Put the cooking oil in the preheated pan and carefully add the seasoned fish fillets to the pan. Cook fillets for about 2 minutes on each side depending on thickness until golden brown and cooked throughout. Place fillets on cut, open rolls. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, paprika and cayenne. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Assemble sliders using mayo, lettuce, tomato and red onion. Use a bamboo skewer if needed to keep sliders standing. Serve with potato salad. Serves 8.

Find the recipe for Charred Florida Tomato Salad and other great recipes using Florida foods here: followfreshfromflorida.com