Cooking With Chef Johnny Carino
Lifestyle Recipes
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On this page I will show you easy to make recipes that are not only healthy and great tasting but very easy to make. This will help with meals becoming boring as you will be introduced to many different recipes to make your lifestyle change and enjoyable one

CHICKEN PIZZAIOLA:

 

4 chicken breast bone in skin off

3 tbl extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 28 can chopped tomato in puree

1 tsp fresh basil chopped

¼ cup sliced yellow onions

 

  1. Season chicken breast on both sides.
  2. Heat pan for 30 seconds and than add oil into pan and brown chicken.
  3. Remove browned chicken and add in garlic, onion, crushed pepper flakes, and sauté until translucent. Add in canned tomato and basil and stir at a simmer for 10 minute than add chicken back in and cook additional 15-20 minutes.
  4. Adjust seasoning as you like with salt and pepper.

PENNE PASTA WITH CRAB, ROASTED PEPPERS, AND CHEESE

 

½ pound dry penne pasta

1/2 cup vegetable or natural chicken stock

6 oz fresh jumbo lump crab meat

1 each roasted red bell pepper sliced thinly

4 tbl non fat cheese crumbled

Cracked black pepper as needed

Basil slices 3 tsp (fresh)

Basil sprig 4 each

 

  1. Heat a pot of water and season with salt and olive oil
  2. Cook pasta until al dante and meanwhile get the sauce ready.
  3. Heat stock  at a simmer and slowly add in cheese stirring well and often. Add peppers, and crab and than cracked pepper to your taste.
  4. Add In sliced basil and than drain pasta and add into sauce stirring well.
  5. Place onto a plate and garnish with a basil sprig

Pan Seared Cod: ( or any white fish of your choice)

 

4 pieces cod

Salt and pepper as needed

3 red bell peppers chopped and roasted

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp olive oil

½ cup chicken stock

1/3 cup basil leaves

2 tbl tomato paste

1 tbl balsamic vinegar

3tbl  cup canola oil

pam as needed

 

 

  1. Add oil to a pan and heat 30 seconds
  2. Add in garlic and peppers and sauté
  3. Add mix to a blender and puree slowly.
  4. Add in stock, basil, vinegar, salt and blacked pepper and continue to puree.
  5. Place into sauce pan and heat and hold for fish.
  6. Season fish with salt and pepper.
  7. Spray fish with pam and than place canola oil into pan for 30 seconds.
  8. Place fish done and cook until golden brown.
  9. Flip and repeat.
  10. Place down sauce than smoked white beans and top with fish.
  11. Garnish with your choice of herbs

 

Smoked White Beans

 

2 tablespoons olive

1 cup minced onion
½ cup minced celery
14 1/2-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 slices low fat ham diced

1 tsp paprika

2 bay leaves
2 1/4 to 2 ½ cups canned or cooked navy beans
salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy saucepan.

2. Add the onion and celery, ham  and sauté over moderate heat until they are golden.

3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, seasonings. Bring to a simmer, and then stir in the beans. Add a pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper.

4. Simmer, covered, over very low heat, for 45 minutes

5. Beans are done when they are soft. Season more if needed and serve with cod

 

 MEDITERRANEAN  SONOMA GREEN SALAD

 

12 ounces sonoma greens (also called field greens)

2 ounces non fat cheese grated

3 tbl pitted kalamata olives

1/8 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers

4 tbl balsamic vinegar

2 tbl extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper as needed

2 tbl honey

 

  1. Place washed green into mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add in cheese, olives, and peppers and mix well.
  3. Add in vinegar, honey, and slowly add in olive oil mixing well.
  4. Serve immediately.

 

Southwestern Blackened Tilapia with Roasted Tomato Sauce and Watermelon Mint Salad

 

 8 Pieces Tilapia

Southwest seasoning mix (recipe to follow)

Pam for Coating

1 ½ cups roasted tomato sauce (see recipe)

Herbs your choice

Watermelon mint salad ½ cup (see recipe)

 

  1. Dredge fish into seasoning mix.
  2. Heat griddle to 350 degree and spray Pam onto griddle.
  3. Place tilapia onto griddle and cook about 3 minutes per side.
  4. Serve with roasted tomato sauce and melon mint salad atop fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watermelon Mint Salad:

 

1 cup diced watermelon (try to remove seed)

2 tsp sliced fresh mint

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

3 tbl sliced green onions

 

  1. Mix all ingredients together and hold chilled.

 

 

 

Roasted Tomato Sauce:

 

2 cups plum or roma tomatoes

2 tbl olive oil

1 tbl minced garlic

1 yellow onion diced

2 basil leaves

3 tbl rice wine vinegar

 

  1. Coat tomatoes with oil and roast in oven about 20 minutes.
  2. Remove tomatoes and place into a sauce pot with garlic and yellow onions.

Sauté and in vinegar, reduce heat and simmer. Blend with a blender and add basil leaves and season to your taste.

 

 

 

 

 

Steamed Clams and Mussel

 

24 fresh clams
18 fresh mussels
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
5-garlic cloves minced
1 cup white wine
3 tbl fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 cup diced tomato fresh
fresh basil sprigs

Directions:

  1. Clean clams and mussels by washing them and soaking them in water
  2. Into a large pot heat oil and add in garlic and sauté until garlic starts to become translucent. Add clams, mussels, wine, lemon juice, and simmer until clams and mussels open.
  3. Add in diced tomato and cook another minute or two.
  4. Add in chopped parsley and season with salt and black pepper to your taste.
  5. Place opened clams and mussels into a large bowl and serve with steamed brown or white rice. 

FIVE SPICE QUAIL WITH GINGER FRUIT CHUTNEY 

 

 4 Boneless Quail

2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

2-tbl olive oil

salt and pepper as needed

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

4-tbl vegetable oil

 

1.      Rub each quail with some oil. Season with five spice, salt, pepper, garlic and ginger.

2.       Heat at 350 degree about 20-25 minutesminutes.

 

 

 

CHUTNEY:

 

2 each mango

2 each green apples

2 each pears

2 tbl minced ginger

1 tbl-minced jalapeno

½ cup dark brown sugar

1 each diced red bell pepper 1/4:”

1 each diced green bell pepper ¼”

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Cornstarch/cold water mix to thicken as needed

 

  1. Place diced fruit into saucepan and add all ingredients except cornstarch mixture. Simmer and reduce about 35 minutes. Mixture will be syrupy.
  2. Add cornstarch to a small amount of cold water and whip well to form a smooth paste. Slowly add to hot fruit mixture until you have desired thickness. Don’t add too much and allow what you add to be stirred to make sure correct thickness is obtained.
  3. Refrigerate and hold. Serve cold

Note from Johnny Carino: Here is a very easy fish stew that became famous when many Italians settled in San Francisco. As a kid this was something I would enjoy every once in a while but a dish I always asked for. One of the fun parts of this dish is being creative when using seafood as you can use whatever you like.

The only rule is to first add the shellfish, as they will take longer to cook. Then, as they open, add shrimp and fresh fish, as you desire. Personally I like spice added to this stew and use crushed red pepper flakes to accomplish this. You may also, if desired, use red wine instead of white to add extra richness to the dish.

Serves 4

12 clams
12 shrimp
1 pound diced white fish
12 mussels
3 cans crushed tomato
½ cup tomato paste
½ cup white wine
3 tbl minced garlic
2 tbl chopped shallots
1 cup minced onion
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bunch basil sliced
1 cup sliced fresh fennel
2 cups clam juice
1 bay leaf 
1/8  cup olive oil (extra virgin)

Directions:

  1. Into a saucepan add olive oil and heat 30 seconds.
  2. Add in garlic, shallots, fennel, onion, and bay leaf.
  3. Sauté until translucent and lower heat and add wine and reduce wine to half.
  4. Add in tomato products, red pepper flakes, clam juice, and simmer 35 minutes.
  5. Add seafood starting with clams and mussels then wait two minutes and add in remaining seafood.
  6. Stir and add in basil.