Crowds gathered inside our market facilities at North Phoenix Baptist Church for our fifth installment of the Summer Chef Series. Chef Ben Graham of
Citizen Public House charmed the audience and demonstrated how market ingredients can be used to make beautifully composed, easy-to-make dishes for the dinner table.
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.
He piled those high on
McClendon Farms‘ romaine lettuce, tossed in olive oil and dotted with dollops of
Superstition Farms‘ mascarpone. At the restaurant, Chef Graham adds pizzaz to this salad with bacon lardons, but today, he took the opportunity to use
The Jojoba Beef Company’s beef chorizo. Their cattle feed on the sweet jojoba plant found on their Kearny ranch, imparting an element of sweetness and an intensified beef flavor. They are one of many family businesses providing top quality goods at our busy market.