Giada's Feel Good Food (35 page)

for the chutney:
In a medium bowl, stir together the vinegar, apricot preserves, jalapeño, mustard, hot sauce, salt, pepper, cloves, and ginger until blended. Mix in the apple, mango, and chopped mint. Let stand for up to 30 minutes before serving, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Spray the grill lightly with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Put the chicken cutlets (still coated with marinade) on the grill. Grill until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to plates, serving 2 pieces per person, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Spoon some chutney alongside the chicken. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

This is a great make-ahead vegetarian dish. Stuff the peppers, store them in the fridge, and then pop the dish in the oven half an hour before dinner. And it's anything but bland; it has bright notes from salty olives, crunchy almonds, plump sweet raisins, and gooey cheese.
serves 4

for the peppers:
Preheat a broiler.

Arrange the peppers in a single layer on a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning the peppers every few minutes, until charred on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Put the peppers in a resealable plastic bag for 15 minutes. Gently scrape off the burnt skin, being careful not to tear the flesh. Lay each pepper on a cutting board. Using a paring knife, remove a ½-inch-wide strip of flesh from the side of each pepper to create an opening. Chop the strips of pepper into ½-inch pieces to reserve for the filling. Using a small spoon, remove the seeds from inside each pepper.

In a medium saucepan, bring ¾ cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the couscous and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the couscous with a fork.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, oregano, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Cook until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the couscous, shallot mixture, the reserved chopped bell pepper pieces, the raisins, almonds, olives, lime juice, maple syrup, and half of the cheese.

Divide the filling among the peppers, packing it gently and mounding it at the top. Arrange in the prepared dish, spaced slightly apart. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake until the peppers are heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

for the avocado sauce:
Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the avocado, 2 tablespoons water, the lime juice, and salt. Blend for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth.

Spoon the sauce on plates and top with the peppers.

This colorful, beautiful summery dish feeds a small crowd. It is one of those impressive, company-is-coming-over dishes that still comes together quickly on a weeknight.
serves 6

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir until aromatic, 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 2 minutes. Using a fork, lightly mash the tomatoes. Add the wine and asparagus. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue to simmer until the shrimp are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the mint, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

What makes this pesto different is that I use walnuts instead of pine nuts and spinach and mint in place of parsley or basil. This recipe makes eating raw spinach exciting—and, trust me, I'm not a raw-spinach-salad kind of person! But I really enjoy it this way. The mint sweetens it and the salty, savory Parmesan seals the deal. Cumin gives a citrusy spice to the chicken, which pairs so well with these flavors.
serves 6