Summer Chef Series with Chef David Antonelli

Our vendors don’t just sell great products, they can cook, too! Chef David Antonelli of Holy Mackerel Fresh Seafood jumped into the demo booth this weekend with a helpful C-CAP student from Camelback High School. Their mission was to feature fresh, local ingredients from the market in a dish that marketeers could make at home.

Inspired from the menu at Citizen Public House, everyone was eager to taste his Grilled Peach and Romaine Salad with Chorizo Lardons, Mascarpone and Champagne Vinaigrette. He showed us how simple it is to grill peaches. When the heat caramelizes the flesh, it creates added sweetness and complexity to these already ultra-sweet and sunny peaches from TJ Farms.

David let the ingredients speak for themselves. He served a simple Rock Shrimp bruschetta with his own Holy Mackerel Rock Shrimp along with Bob McClendon’s bright red campari tomatoes, peppery arugula and one of our favorite local loaves from Noble Bread. He perked it all up with Sogno Toscano olive oil and Gourmet Blends balsamic.

Summer Chef Series with Chef David Antonelli

McClendon’s Arugula

McClendon’s Campari Tomatoes

Gourmet Blends

Chef David shared some of his extensive seafood knowledge with the crowds. For example, he explained that rock shrimp have risen in popularity since the invention of a machine that can easily remove their hard outer shell. The term “rock” is appropriate because that’s how hard their shells are, making them nearly impossible to open by hand. But, after the hard work of opening one up, the delightful reward is a shrimp that is sweet and delicate.

David also shared that it’s important not to over-cook your shrimp. These rock shrimp take only two minutes to cook. His suggestion is to throw them in a pan until they just get slightly pink, then take them off and let them rest a few minutes. Any time you take a protein off of a cooking surface (fry pan, grill, etc..) it will continue to rise in temperature, a process called “carry-over”. That’s why it’s important to pull the shrimp just a little before they’re done as carry-over will complete the cooking process. Taste a few to make sure they’re fully done. If you don’t over-cook them, you’ll end up with buttery, bright shrimp perfect for anything from David’s bruschetta to a simple summery pasta.

We’ll have another talented chef in the booth next week, so come join the fun! Get all of the details about upcoming events and demos by subscribing to our weekly e-mail list and follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Also, come say ‘hello’ to other friendly vendors like Nut Sack Foods and Mama’s Cold Brew! So many delicious options are available every week at our market at North Phoenix Baptist Church.

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Summer Chef Series with Chef David Antonelli