1st Annual Creative
Pomegranate & Fig Competition
Winner: Dionne Vega
Dish: Spicy Lamb Meatballs with a Fig Compote over a Tepary Bean Hummus
The dish was a regional desert crop and middle eastern fusion.
The lamb meatballs were seasoned with za’atar, baharat, tumeric,
cinnamon, dried mint, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and yogurt.
They were braised in a saffron, tomato and FIG sauce
and topped with toasted pine nuts, fresh mint, and served over a
loose tepary bean hummus, accompanied with wilted radicchio
and purslane that were dressed in brown butter.
Dionne Vega won $1,111 on September 30th, 2023
after being chosen by a panel of five judges:
Beth Dooley (12x Cookbook Author & James Beard Award Winner),
Emily Sherbrooke (SDCC Board President), PHX Foodi Bloggers
Nataly Banuelos and Enrique Avelar, & Army Sergeant First Class
Cassandra Lyerla. The prize was sponsored by
the Sonoran Desert Inn
& Conference Center Community Kitchen.
Happy 30th Anniversary, International Sonoran Desert Alliance!
Best Creative Use of
Pomegranate or Fig
Wins $1111
OPEN TO MIXOLOGISTS, CHEFS, ARTISTS,
APPAREL DESIGNERS & ALL CREATIVES
September 30, 2023
Sonoran Desert Inn & Conference Center
AJO, ARIZONA
This contest is open to anyone of any age in any location.
You must be able to present your creation to a panel of judges on September 30th, 2023 in Ajo, Arizona.
The creation must be your own. The universe is watching.
You are welcome to use complimentary pomegranates or figs from our orchard,
but you are not required to use our variety.
You are open to choose any variety of pomegranate or fig,
however please be prepared to discuss which varietal you used and why that variety worked best for your creation.
There are no creative parameters.
Go wild, creative child!
+Have fun with your experiments. ;-)
For additional information, please email kat@sonorancc.com
and check out our non-profit hotel at
www.sonorancc.com
