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.

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.