Smoky Grilled Vegetable Salsa

Serves 4

While this recipe is more of a side dish, it is very reminiscent of the salsa style. Very delicious!!

Ingredients:

2 zucchinis cut lengthwise

2 Roman tomatoes

1 large ear of corn ( or 2 small)

1 med onion

1 tsp chef Josef’s Cilantro Lime blend and (or Josef’s Garlic Herb blend)

1 Tbsp olive oil

fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

Season Vegetables with Chef Josef’s Cilantro Lime blend.

Add oil and mix well.

Next:

Mark and grill vegetables on a hot grill until ¾ done.

Let sit at room temperature for 25 minutes.

 Cut vegetables into ½” cubes

Cut corn off the ear.

Mix well in a bowl.

 (Add fresh, chopped cilantro).

 Serve at room temperature.

(This dish holds well in the refrigerator for 2 days.)

Fresh vegetables waiting for the grill.

Chef Josef’s Sheet Pan Veggies

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1lb Asparagus, trimmed

8 Fingerling Potatoes

2 c sliced Mushrooms

Olive oil

Chef Josef’s Seasoning Blends

For this dinner I used Chef Josef’s:

Garlic Herb blend for the Potatoes

Citrus Tarragon for the Asparagus

Cilantro Lime on the Mushrooms

Instructions:

Preboil Potatoes to ¾ done

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper

Place Vegetables and Potatoes on Baking sheet

Season with Seasoning Blends (about a ¼ tsp for each vegetable)

Spray with Olive Oil

Roast at 475˚ for 10 to 15 min.

Polenta with Goat Cheese and Spinach

Serves 6

1 cup Polenta

6 oz Goat cheese

2 oz Butter

½ Onion, chopped

¾ bunch of washed Spinach

1 cup Leek, chopped

3 tsp Chef Josef’s Lime Cilantro (2 for Polenta /1 for the Tomato mixture)

3 cups Cherry tomatoes, cut in half 

3 cup sliced, assorted Mushrooms

1 cup milk

5 cups water

Fresh Cilantro for Garnish

Step 1

Bring water and milk to a boil in a heavy sauce pain

Add 2 tsp Chef Josef’s Lime Cilantro into water

Pour Polenta slowly into Pan constantly stirring with a whisk or wooden spoon

Continue stirring until mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 2

Turn heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 6 to 10 minutes.

Stir Spinach into the Polenta.

Finish cooking Polenta for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a separate medium size saucepan melt the Butter and glaze the Onion and Leek until translucent.

Add the Tomatoes and Mushrooms.

Add the 1 tsp Chef Josef’s Lime Cilantro blend and sauté under high heat for 3 minutes.

Step 3

Serve the polenta into 6 bowls.

Spoon the Mushroom tomato mix over the Polenta and crumble Goat cheese on top.

Garnish with fresh chopped Cilantro.

Easy Meal - Sour Dough Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Serves 2 - 3

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices Sour Dough bread from large round loaf

Three assorted cheeses, sliced – (we used Tillamook Cheddar, Dubliner Cheddar and whole milk Mozzarella)

Fresh Basil leaves

Olive oil, or Olive oil spray

Chef Josef’s Garlic Herb blend and Tarragon Citrus Seasonings

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat oven to 475˚.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spray or drizzle Olive oil on the parchment paper and lay 2 pieces of the bread on top of it.

Lay Cheeses on the bread, and the Basil on top of the cheese.

Sprinkle with Chef Josef’s Seasonings.

Top the sandwiches with the remaining 2 slices of bread and spray or brush with Olive oil.

Place into the center of the hot oven.

Check Sandwiches at 7 minutes for doneness. They should be golden brown on top, add a minute at a time if needed.

Remove from oven.

Use spatula to move sandwiches to cutting board, then slice in half, plate and serve.

Easily makes more.

 Great with soup!

Easy Meal – Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Herbs and Rice

Serves 2

Ingredients:

 1 ¼  cup cooked Rice

4 large eggs

2 scallions, whites and greens, sliced

Fresh chopped herbs, i.e., chives, basil, parsley . . .

Olive oil spray

2 tsp Butter

Chef Josef’s Tarragon Citrus

Instructions:

 Heat a skillet on high and spray or drizzle with Olive oil.

Add 1 tsp of the Butter and allow to melt and sizzle.

Add scallions and cook until soft.

Add the Rice and mix with the scallions.  

Allow to sit cooking in the skillet for about a minute.

Take a spatula and push the rice to two sides of the skillet.

Turn heat to medium.

Add the other tsp of butter to the bare space and allow to melt a bit.

Break the 4 eggs into the bare area with the butter and use the spatula to break the eggs.

Sprinkle ¼ tsp of the Tarragon Citrus seasoning blend over the eggs and rice.

Add the fresh herbs and scrape the area with the eggs back and forth as they cook until the doneness that you like.

Divide the rice and eggs in half with the spatula and serve.

Tomato, Feta & Pistachio Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 large Heirloom Tomatoes

3 oz Feta cheese

¼ cup toasted Pistachios

½ tsp Chef Josef’s Citrus Tarragon (or Garlic Herb) Seasoning Blend

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ Tbsp Balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh Tarragon, chopped, if available

Instructions:

Slice tomatoes.

Crumble Feta into small pieces and place on top of tomatoes.

Add the Pistachios, and then the Tarragon.

Season with Chef Josef’s Citrus Tarragon blend.

Drizzle the Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar over the tomato layers.

Grilled Tomato & Brie Sandwich

Makes one large sandwich. See the video below and join Chef Josef in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

 5oz Brie cheese

1 medium Tomato

2 slices of Sour Dough bread (round loaf)

¼ tsp Chef Josef’s Garlic Herb Blend

Olive Oil Spray

2 Tbsp chopped fresh Basil

Instructions:

 Spray or brush Olive oil onto one side of the bread slices.

Slice Tomato into 1/4” slices and arrange on bread.

Slice Brie into pieces and place over the tomatoes.

Add chopped Basil.

Sprinkle Chef Josef’s Garlic Herb Blend over top.

Add second slice of bread to top of sandwich, olive oil side down.

Spray the top of the sandwich lightly with Olive oil and then place in Panini press or sauté pan.

Grill until brown and cheese starts to melt.

We checked our sandwich for doneness after a few minutes and flipped it over. It’s not really necessary to do this on a Panini press, but it doesn’t hurt either.

Join Chef Josef creating his delectable Tomato & Brie Sandwich.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Serves four

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Asparagus tips cut across into 1” pieces

1 medium Red Onion, chopped

5 Green Onions, chopped

6 cups milk

1/3 stick Butter

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

6 cups Vegetable Stock, (I often use bouillon instead)

2 Tbsp Flour

1 tsp Chef Josef’s Citrus Tarragon Blend

2 to 3 Splashes of Worcestershire sauce

½ cup Sour Crème OR heavy crème

INSTRUCTIONS:

Melt butter and olive oil in a 6 qt pot in medium heat

Glaze onions and stir until translucent

Add Asparagus  

Stir in Flour

Add milk and vegetable stock, Chef Josef’s Citrus Tarragon herb blend and Worcestershire        

Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in sour cream or heavy cream at the end.

Watch the 4 minute video of Chef Josef preparing Cream of Asparagus Soup.

Chef Josef's California Tomato Bisque

Serves 6

6 portions

Ingredients:

½ medium red onion, chopped

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 oz tomato paste

3 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp Chef Josef’s Garlic Herb Seasoning Blend

1/2 tsp Chef Josef’s Original Seasoning Blend

3 medium tomatoes

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 cups diced zucchini

⅓ cup fresh Parsley, chopped

⅓ cup fresh Basil, chopped

1 ½ quarts chicken or vegetable broth

6 oz Burrata cheese (1 inch balls)

2 cups Garlic Croutons

Instructions:

Glaze onions in olive oil and butter until translucent.

Add tomato paste and glaze for 2 minutes.

Mix flour and bring to a simmer.

Add tomatoes, zucchini and the parsley and basil and remaining ingredients; simmer for 5 minutes.

To Serve, per person:

2 cups Tomato Bisque

1 oz mozzarella

¼ cup croutons

Try our Garlic Herb Crouton recipe!

Saffron Risotto with Mushrooms and Pine Nuts

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups of Arborio Rice

½ medium chopped Onion

2 Green Onions, chopped

4 oz sliced Mushrooms

1 tsp Olive Oil

1 tsp butter

1 large pinch Saffron

1 cup White Wine

1 cup Chicken Stock

3 cups water

1 cup crème or milk

½ cup Parmesan

1 tsp Chef Josef’s Original Blend

1 tsp Chef Josef’s Garlic Herb Blend

Heat Butter and Olive oil in a six quart pot.

Sauté onion in the butter and oil until translucent.

Add mushrooms and simmer.

Add rice, wine, chicken stock and 1 cup of the water.

Add spices.

Simmer on low heat, stirring every minute or so until ¾ done.

Add Parmesan, Crème and the rest of the water.

Simmer and stir until rice is soft.

Spaghetti Squash with Cherry Tomatoes and Green Onions

Makes about 10 side servings

Here is a recipe for a dish that I used over and over in my restaurants during the fall months.

 Ingredients:

 1 medium Spaghetti Squash

4 green onions, sliced. Use the white part and some of the green.

20 cherry tomatoes

2 tsp of Chef Josef’s Seasoning Blend, any one will work

3 Tbsp olive oil or butter

Instructions:

Split the Spaghetti Squash in half, lengthwise.

Place on baking sheet, cut side up. Pour some water into the well of the spaghetti squash.

Bake in oven at 425˚ for 45 minutes.

When cooled, scrape the Spaghetti Squash out of the shell with a fork.

(It should look like Spaghetti).

Mix with green onion, Seasoning Blend and olive oil or butter.

Reheat in sauté pan with a little water or Microwave.

Linguini and Clams

Serves 2

Ingredients:

20 fresh Manila clams

1 can of Manila clams

12 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

3 green onions, chopped

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp Chef Josefs Garlic Herb blend

1 tsp lemon juice

½ cup white wine

¼ cup chopped parsley

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

6 cups cooked Linguini

Instructions:

Cook pasta in water to al dente. Set aside.

Glaze onion in Olive oil until translucent, add the whole clams, white wine and lemon juice, cover.

Steam until clams start to open, about 5 minutes.

Add the canned clams with ¼ of their liquid.

Add Chef Josef’s Garlic Herb Blend, tomatoes, pasta and parsley.

Simmer covered for 2 minutes.

If you like a strong garlic flavor add additional fresh minced garlic to the onion mixture.

Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Onion Tart (Zwiebelwaehen)

Serves 4

1 - 12” tart pan or square pan
1 Pie shell or 8 oz. pastry for Tart Dough

1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Butter
1 med Red onion
1 med Yellow onion

Filling:

1 cup of Crème/or half and half
3 Eggs
5 oz. Gruyere cheese /or Swiss cheese, grated
3 Tbsp. Flour
Season with 1/2 tsp. Chef Josef’s Original seasoning blend

Instructions:

Roll out pastry to 1/8” thickness and place in baking pan. Puncture it with fork multiple times.
In a sauté pan melt olive oil and butter on medium high, glaze onions until light brown. Place on top of pastry dough.

Mix flour into grated cheese.
Whip eggs and crème and add to cheese. Add seasonings filling.
Spoon on top of onions.

Bake at 420 ̊ for 20 min. Reduce heat to 375 ̊ and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Allow to sit for 15 min before serving.
Can be served hot room or temperature.

You can add cooked, chopped bacon or sliced mushrooms into the filling to create different variation.

Chef Josef’s Grilled Vegetables

Serves 6

This recipe will work with any vegetable. Just cut the veggies so that they have a similar thickness.

Ingredients

3 tomatoes, halved

3 bell peppers, cut into 6 wedges

3 zucchinis, sliced into thirds, lengthwise

Fresh chopped herbs for garnish if desired.

Marinade:

6 Tbsp olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 splashes Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp of either Chef Josef’s Lemon Dill, Curry Basil or Citrus Tarragon seasoning blend

Place vegetables in 9 x 12 glass dish. Mix marinade and pour over vegetables. Mix to evenly coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. Grill on hot grill until al dente.

World’s Easiest Avocado Toast

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 slices of your favorite bread

1 ripe avocado, cut in half

½ tsp Chef Josef’s Curry Basil Seasoning Blend (or 2 pinches of seasoning blend per

(The Citrus Tarragon is really good, too).

Optional: Wedge of lemon or lime

Pop the bread in the toaster, and when it’s done,

scoop out the flesh of each half of the avocado onto the warm toast.

Squeeze a bit of lemon or lime juice over of the avocado. (But if you don’t have it, no worries, it’s still great!)

Divide and Sprinkle the Chef Josef’s Curry Basil Seasoning Blend on top of the avocado and mash lightly with a fork. Fantastic!!