Make Ratatouille with Fresh Florida Produce

Fresh Florida Produce

Whether preparing a Holiday meal indoors in your RV kitchen or outdoors over the grill or campfire, cooking with fresh Florida produce adds zest to every bite. Florida’s warm weather and long growing season mean that all the ingredients for a festive Holiday ratatouille are available now.

Sprouts Market in nearby Orlando and Kissimmee Valley Farmers Market right here in town make sure your every meal is exciting with fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Current herb offerings include fresh oregano, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Chefs know this combination as Herbs de Provence.

So make a quick trip to Orlando –it’s only 15 miles from East Toho RV Resort & Marina on John Young Parkway –to Sprouts Market at 7603 Turkey Lake Road and pick up everything you need for an easy, festive French dinner made with locally-grown fresh herbs and veggies. And pick up a couple of bottles of wine at the Sprouts store too.

Too far to drive? Get fresh Florida produce at Kissimmee Valley Farmers Market at 92 Pleasant Street in Kissimmee every Friday from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

 

How to Make Ratatouille

Buy your fresh Florida produce -tomatoes, onions, garlic, eggplant, zucchini, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. You might find locally-produced honey and olive oil too.

  1. Make your base tomato sauce by chopping up several tomatoes – no need to skin them. Peel and slice one onion. Peel and chop at least two cloves of garlic –if you love garlic, use more.
  2. Sauté all of the above in olive oil, adding as much as you like of your Herbs de Provence (oregano, rosemary, thyme). If the tomatoes seem too acidic, a teeny bit of honey will even things out. Salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer until all the veggies seem cooked –about 10 –15 minutes.
  3. While the tomato sauce is cooking, thinly slice three zucchinis, an eggplant, and another couple of tomatoes.
  4. The sauce is ready when your kitchen smells heavenly. If you prefer a not-so-chunky sauce, run it through a food processor.
  5. Spread the tomato mixture into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Working from the outer edge, layer the vegetables on top of the sauce in a pattern (ex: eggplant, tomato, zucchini, repeat). You may or may not use all of the veggies, depending on the size of your pan.
  6. Brush the veggies with olive oil and bake for about an hour until everything is tender. Like cheese? Sprinkle on grated Parmesan during the last five minutes of cooking.

Open a bottle of wine to go with your fresh Florida produce, delight in every good thing life has to offer, and enjoy the aroma of your wonderful dinner as you admire the stars in the sky overhead.

 

Life is Good at East Toho RV Resort & Marina!

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