CHEF JOSH KATT

Organic Meal Plans - Catering - Chicago Personal Chef

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Cumin Shrimp

Ever since my wife and I bought my grill I can’t stop using it.  Today was no different.  I’ve also been obsessed with this simple vegetable salad to accompany our dinners.  Here is the recipe for that salad and a few pics of the meals I created using it for one of my clients.  Enjoy!

Simple Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta

3 Rainbow Carrots, Halved Lengthwise

3 Bell Peppers, Seeds removed and sliced into 4 pieces(I used Orange, Yellow, and Green)

1 Bunch of Asparagus, Trimmed

1 Portobello Mushroom, Destimmed and the gills removed

2 small zucchinni’s, halved

1/2 of a Red Onion, Sliced

2 Whole Corn Cobs, Husks removed

1/2 Cup of Feta Cheese, Crumbled

1/4 C of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (give or take a little)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

2 TBS Red Wine Vinegar

2 TBS, Basil Chiffonade

Ok… SO like I said, its simple.

1.  Turn your grill on.  Now prep your veggies.  You want big chunks of vegetables so they don’t fall through your grill grates, and so that you don’t have to flip so many different things.  It can be hard and HOTT to do a ton, so make it easy on yourself.

2.  Place all of the prepped veggies in a bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, salt and pepper.

3.  Place the veggies on the grill one at a time, and be careful to not let any excess oil drip into the grill.  This is what can cause the flames to flare up around your veggies leaving a extra smokey taste that we don’t want.

4.  After getting all of the veggies on the grill shut the lid for 2 minutes.  After the 2 minutes is up, flip the veggies, and shut the lid for another two minutes.  I’m not trying to fully cook the vegetables because I like a little crunch in my salad.  Plus mushy grilled veggies aren’t super exciting!  

5.  Remove all of the veggies from the grill to a sheet pan, and allow to cool to room temperature.

6.  While the veggies are cooling you can chop your herbs and crumble your feta cheese. 

7.  To cut the veggies I basically did a large dice for most everything except the carrots.  Because the carrots didn’t cook as quickly as everything else, I wanted to thinly slice them.  But really, you can really chop everything however you like :)

8.  Combine all of the veggies, herbs, feta, and red wine vinegar in the bowl and toss together.  Make sure to taste.  You can always add more olive oil if needed.

Cumin Shrimp

For the shrimp I simply tossed them with a little cumin, cayenne, and salt and pepper.  Drizzled them with a little olive oil and tossed them on the grill after the veggies.  They don’t take long to cook, so be careful!

Enjoy!  

Arugula and Fava Bean Salad with Lemon Tahini Vin



These flavors just work well together!  With the addition of mint, the salad takes on a fresh spring twist, and incorporating some roasted sweet potatoes makes this simple salad a healthy lunch that will carry you through the day!  Plus sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients that can actually help you gain muscle.  Perfect for the active lifestyle.

For the Dressing:

1 Lemon, Juiced

3 TBS Agave Nectar

1/4 Cup of Tahini

1/4 Cup of Grapeseed oil

Mix each ingredient one at a time into the Tahini.  It will be slightly thick, so add a touch of water and incorporate.  You should have a thick dressing, but don’t worry you won’t use all of it.  You’ll have some left over for a couple salads!

For the Salad:

1 Sweet Potato, Diced Large

1 Bag of Arugula

1/2 Red Onion, Sliced thin

4-5 springs of mint, leaves removed and torn

1/4 Cup of Fresh Fava Beans, Blanched and Shocked

1lb of Turkey Breast

1.  Begin by roasted the sweet potatoes in the oven.  Adding oil, salt and pepper helps this process and makes them almost irresistible when they come out of the oven!  Roast for about 20 minutes at 400F in your oven.

4.  While they are roasting grill or roast your turkey breast, again, coated with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  The turkey will take about 20 minutes on the grill or in the oven.  Set aside to rest after cooking!

5.  After the turkey is at about room temperature begin to pull the turkey apart piece by piece.  This will give the Turkey that shredded look!  Alternatively you could dice it as well.

6.  Once your ingredients are to room temperature, incorporate the onion, mint, fava beans, sweet potatoes, and turkey!  Season with salt and pepper and slowly add the dressing.  This salad doesn’t need a ton of dressing as all of the components are super flavorful, so don’t add it all!

Chicken and Swiss Chard Lettuce Wraps with Jullienned Vegetable Salad Swiss Chard has a ton of Vitamin K and Vitamin A.  It also contains anti-inflammatory properties that help your body fight cancer.  Vitamin K helps protects your bones from fractures, prevents your calcification in your blood vessels, and promotes healthy blod clotting!  Who knew!  

Chicken and Swiss Chard Lettuce Wraps with Jullienned Vegetable Salad

Swiss Chard has a ton of Vitamin K and Vitamin A.  It also contains anti-inflammatory properties that help your body fight cancer.  Vitamin K helps protects your bones from fractures, prevents your calcification in your blood vessels, and promotes healthy blod clotting!  Who knew!  

Tiny Tostadas.  Eat!

Tiny Tostadas.  Eat!

Mushroom Crusted Seabass, Watercress Puree, Spinach Quinoa, and Roasted Hedgehog Mushrooms

I crust the Seabass here with dried mushrooms.  I first started incorporating this idea into some dishes last year and it really adds a ton of umami—that savory flavor we all love to the fish.  On a recent trip to Grand Rapids, MI to visit my family we ate at one of my Alma Mater’s (restaurant I used to work at) and they had actually developed the same technique.  They actually use a dehydrator to dry mushroom scraps and then grind them and coated a NY strip prior to searing.  That steak was insane.  

Its easy to do at home, just grind some dried mushrooms (available at most grocery stores ironically in the produce section) and then coat the outside of your fish or steak before cooking.  Enjoy!

Tilapia Tostadas - Mayocobo Bean Puree, Dry Rubbed Tilapia, and Queso Fresco

Tilapia Tostadas - Mayocobo Bean Puree, Dry Rubbed Tilapia, and Queso Fresco

Prepping for a Taco Tasting tonight.. Our first finished taco is Seared Beef Sirloin with Sweet Corn Crema, Hedgehog Mushrooms, Pickled Red Onion. and Cilantro. Check out more food on my facebook page!

Prepping for a Taco Tasting tonight.. Our first finished taco is Seared Beef Sirloin with Sweet Corn Crema, Hedgehog Mushrooms, Pickled Red Onion. and Cilantro.


Check out more food on my facebook page!

Quick Brine Grilled Chicken Recipe

Grilled Chicken Breasts can be a tricky thing.  If done poorly it can result in dry, tasteless Chicken.  Brining is a way to take pride in the craft of grilling your meat!  Use this recipe to show off your grilling skills.

In this recipe I use bone-in chicken.  This helps keep your meat nice and juicy.  Using boneless will work, but the risk of overcooking is greater.  Another trick for juicy, flavorful chicken is a “mop”.  Typically a vinegar and spice based sauce that you “mop” on the chicken throughout the cooking process.  It adds deep flavors and some great color to your chicken.  The recipe for the mop I used is at the end of this recipe.  

Quick Rosemary Brine



4lbs-5lbs of Bone-in Chicken (or boneless - can use whatever cuts you’d like)

2 Cups Water

1/3 Cup Kosher Salt (or 3oz)

1 Lemon, Halved and juiced

1 Sprig Rosemary

2 garlic cloves, smashed

Black Pepper, big pinch

Red Chili Flakes, big pinch

12 ice cubes, or about 3 cups

1.  Bring all of the ingredients to a boil, except for the ice cubes.

2.  Let the mixture boil for about 2 minutes, remove from the heat, and set aside for 10 minutes.  Place in a large metal boil, add the ice cubes, and stir.  If the water is cool to the touch you are ready to add your chicken!

3.  After adding the chicken throw it the fridge for about 1-1.5 hours.

4.  Preheat your grill.  Each grill will vary with how hot it gets, but generally it takes about 20 minutes for your grill to be fully heated.

5.  After allowing the chicken to soak in the brine, remove it and place it on a few paper towels to dry.

Grilling Procedure

1.  Using a wire brush, scrape your grill to remove any debris.  

2.  With a folded paper towel drizzled with olive oil and a pair of tongs goat the grill grates with a little oilve oil.  It doesn’t need a lot, and make sure your paper towel isn’t dripping with oil because that will cause your grill to flare up.

3.  Place your chicken skin side down first.  Allow the chicken to “sear” for about 3-4 minutes.  Check the chicken to make sure it isn’t getting too dark too quick.  You’ll notice your grill can have hot spots.  You’ll want to avoid these spots because we don’t want to burn the chicken.  A typical “cooler” spot is the front edge of the grill.  Keep your chicken here for this recipe.

4.  Flip your chicken and using a brush apply the mop (recipe below) to the top of the chicken.

5.  Continue flipping the chicken every 3-4 minutes and applying the mop with each flip.  Cook the chicken breasts for about 30 minutes total.  Legs and thighs will take slightly less time, between 20-25 minutes.  If the chicken doesn’t have a bone, shoot for cooking the chicken for about 15-17 minutes.

6.  Remove the chicken from the grill, place it on a platter and let rest for a few minutes before cutting it off the bone and serving!

Vinegar Based Mop 

1 TBS dry mustard

1 TBS Garlic Powder

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Oregano, dried

1/8th tsp cayenne

4 TBS apple cider vinegar

1.  Mix all ingredients together and set aside.  The mixture should be thick.

One of my favorite pics from the dinner I cooked last night. Vanilla brined pork loin, green cabbage purée, whiskey Dijon glaze, brown butter, and Japanese sweet potatoes. I first saw the white Japanese sweet potato on a trip to Napa Valley. I cooked in a few different kitchens in Yountville and St. Helena. At the time, pairing a savory Japanese sweet potato with vanilla and pork blew my mind and I’ve never forgotten it. Now it’s easy to find Japanese sweet potatoes at Whole Foods. Try them out!

One of my favorite pics from the dinner I cooked last night. Vanilla brined pork loin, green cabbage purée, whiskey Dijon glaze, brown butter, and Japanese sweet potatoes.

I first saw the white Japanese sweet potato on a trip to Napa Valley. I cooked in a few different kitchens in Yountville and St. Helena. At the time, pairing a savory Japanese sweet potato with vanilla and pork blew my mind and I’ve never forgotten it.

Now it’s easy to find Japanese sweet potatoes at Whole Foods. Try them out!

Grilled shrimp with chimi churi over green lentils with brown rice, kale, garlic, carrots, and a yummy minted yogurt sauce. Ridiculously, healthy…and tasty!

Grilled shrimp with chimi churi over green lentils with brown rice, kale, garlic, carrots, and a yummy minted yogurt sauce. Ridiculously, healthy…and tasty!