Sweet Grown Alabama Recipes

Earning her a top four spot and a chance to compete in the 2025 Sweet Grown Alabama Seafood Cook-Off, Chef Megan Vanderford's skills shine with this flounder dish. 

For the Rice Dressing 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 4 stalks of celery finely diced
• 1 poblano pepper finely diced
• 1 Sweet Grown Alabama red bell pepper finely diced
• 1 Sweet Grown Alabama onion finely diced
• 6 cloves of Sweet Grown Alabama minced garlic
• 12 ounces Sweet Grown Alabama ground pork
• 6 ounces Sweet Grown Alabama crawfish tails
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons homemade blackening
• 2.5 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a medium Dutch oven, brown pork.

2. Toss in trinity (celery, peppers, onion) until soft.

3. Bring to boil and add in the rice. 

4. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Add crawfish in the last 5 minutes. 

 

For the Salsa Verde (sauce)

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of Sweet Grown Alabama flat leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons of capers
• 6 anchovies
• 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ cups of Sweet Grown Alabama arugula
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

1. Add everything to the blender

2. Blend until smooth.

 

For the Charred Broccolini

Ingredients:

• Sweet Grown Alabama broccolini
• Lemon
• Oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Add oil to the pan.

2. Add broccolini and char.

3. Top with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

 

For the Flounder 

Ingredients:

• Sweet Grown Alabama flounder
• Salt and pepper
• Sweet Grown Alabama white wine
• Lemon
• Butter

Instructions:

1. Pan sear flounder skin side down until crispy.

2. Finished in oven with white wine, butter, and lemon juice.

Check out the above photo from the 2025 Seafood Cook-Off for inspiration, and plate your dish like you're ready to face the judges! Enjoy the Sweet Grown Alabama goodness!