Photo courtesy of freshfromflorida.com

Ingredients

4  6-ounce grouper fillets

2 tangerines, juiced and zested

2 tablespoons dry white wine

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, course ground

vegetable cooking spray

fresh herbs for garnish

tangerine slices for garnish

Place the fillets in a shallow dish. To prepare the citrus marinade, combine the  zest from both tangerines with tangerine juice, olive oil, white wine, herbs and  black pepper in a small bowl; mix well.

Pour the marinade over the fish and marinate for 1-2 hours in refrigerator. Coat grill with vegetable spray and preheat on medium-high heat. Grill fillets for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until center is opaque and meat flakes easily with a fork.

Garnish with herbs and tangerine slices and serve.

Recipe courtesy of freshfromflorida.com

From Sliders to Seared with Peach Salsa, Fresh from Florida Swordfish will add some excitement to your next grilling get-together. Try out some of these wonderful Swordfish recipes courtesy of Chef Justin! And here is a Fresh From Florida grilling tip: any recipe that works for Tuna will work for Swordfish! Happy Grilling!

Click here for additional recipes.

To prepare food safely:

1. Wash hands, surfaces and utensils often during food preparation.
2. Keep raw foods away from cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination.
3. Cook food to the proper temperature. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the meat is sufficiently cooked. Beef, lamb and pork should register an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit, while poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Keep cold foods below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and hot foods above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. For buffets, it is best to put out smaller servings and replenish the food from cold or hot sources more often.
5. Do not leave food out for more than two hours.

If using a grill to prepare food:

1. Never leave a grill unattended when in use.
2. Always read and follow the grill manufacturer’s instructions and keep written materials and manuals in a safe, accessible place.
3. Before using propane gas, check all connections for tightness using a leak-detection solution.
4. When not in use, make sure all grill burner controls are turned off and the cylinder valve is closed.
5. Make sure the grill is shut off and cool to the touch before covering it after use.
6. Use and store cylinders outdoors in an upright, vertical position. Never store cylinders indoors, especially in a garage where temperatures can be high and ignition sources may be present.
7. When filling or exchanging a cylinder, have the supplier check for dents, damage, rust or leaks. Do not use, store or transport a cylinder where it would be exposed to high temperatures. (This includes storing spare cylinders under or near the grill.)
8. If experiencing difficulties in the operation of a gas grill, contact a local propane provider for service.
9. Do not smoke while handling the propane cylinder.
10. Do not allow children to tamper or play with the cylinder or grill.

Ingredients
• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 large yellow squash, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 3 bell peppers, sliced large
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon seasoning blend (Greek, Italian or your favorite)
• 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, hand-torn

Directions
1. Preheat charcoal or gas grill to medium-high.
2. Add all the vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil and seasoning blend to the sliced vegetables and mix lightly to get all the vegetables coated.
3. Carefully place the seasoned vegetables on the hot grill. The vegetables should cook rather quickly. Keep checking the underside of the vegetables for grill marks. Flip and continue to work the grilling surface by moving the vegetables around to the hot spot for even cooking. They should have nice char-grill marks on them, and the texture should be crisp-tender.
4. Remove vegetables from grill and arrange on a platter. Evenly distribute feta cheese over the top. Garnish with the fresh hand-torn basil leaves. Serve warm.

Ingredients
• 4 (6-ounce) mahi fillets
• 1/2 cup Key lime juice
• 2 key limes, zested
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, course ground
• vegetable cooking spray
• fresh herbs for garnish
• Key lime slices for garnish

Directions
1. Place the fillets in a shallow dish. To prepare the citrus marinade, combine the Key lime juice, zest, olive oil, white wine, herbs and black pepper in a small bowl; mix well.
2. Pour the marinade over the fish and marinate for 1 hour in refrigerator. Coat grill with vegetable spray and preheat on medium-high heat.
3. Grill fillets for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until center is opaque and meat flakes easily with a fork. Garnish with herbs and Key lime slices and serve.

Ingredients
• 4 large peaches
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons flavored vinegar
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 tablespoon natural sugar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 heads romaine lettuce

Directions
1. Preheat grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cut peaches into six slices each; discard pits. Cook peach slices until grill marks appear (no need to completely cook peaches). Remove from grill and let cool at room temperature.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3. Heat a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat. Add butter, pecans, sugar and cayenne pepper. Cook while stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and turns golden brown. Remove pecans from heat and cool to room temperature.
4. Slice both heads of romaine into six sections. Place lettuce and peaches on plate and top with dressing and candied pecans. Serve immediately.

Sweet Corn and Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup salsa, your favorite kind
• 1 can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 10 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• pan-release cooking spray
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray an 11×7-inch (2-quart) baking dish with pan-release cooking spray. Add vegetable oil to a medium pan. Cook onion, corn and bell peppers over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add cumin, salsa and black beans and continue to cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Place an even amount of the filling mixture in each of the 10 tortillas. Using 1 cup of shredded cheese, evenly distribute it on top of each of the 10 tortillas. Carefully roll up each stuffed tortilla, and place them seam side down in the sprayed baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas, spreading to coat all tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly around edges. Remove enchiladas from oven and let cool slightly. Serve enchiladas with diced Florida avocado, salsa and sour cream.

Some other favorites include:

Midsummer Melon Salsa

Midsummer Melon Salsa

Passion Fruit and Orange Margarita

Passion Fruit and Orange Margarita

Sweet Pepper Fajitas

Sweet Pepper Fajitas

Department staff will be on hand in the Festival Center to answer questions of park visitors, and there will be 11 Fresh From Florida farms and associations represented throughout the event. Please come visit us and chat with the representatives of the following Florida agribusinesses:

Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center
Ecoturf Sod
Erickson Farm
Florida Peanut Producers Association
Florida Strawberry Growers Association
Florida Watermelon Association
Hydro Harvest Farms
Kumquat Growers
Segrest Farms
The Sunshine Story
Verti-Gro

In it’s second year, the festival promises to be fun and flavorful. There are more than 150 vendors, plus live entertainment and activities, and of course there will be plenty of fresh blueberries and blueberry baked goods for purchase!

To get you thinking about the weekend, here’s our Florida Blueberry Biscuit Cookie recipe.

Ingredients
• 2 cups biscuit mix
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup honey, divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine biscuit mix, blueberries, pecans and milk. Mix well and add enough of the honey to make the mixture stiff like cookie dough.
2. Place dough by tablespoonful onto a greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and drizzle remaining honey on each cookie. Bake an additional 5 minutes and serve immediately.

For more Florida blueberry recipes, check out our recipe site online at www.thefloridachef.com.

Ingredients
• 4 ears corn, roasted and kernels removed from the cob
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, hand torn
• 1 lime, juiced (plus more if desired)
• 1 teaspoon powdered cumin
• your favorite hot sauce (for heat)
• sea salt to taste
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Stir to combine.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and hot sauce.