Giada's Feel Good Food (28 page)

for the chicken:
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400ºF. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and rub with the olive oil. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 160ºF, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes.

for the bolognese:
Meanwhile, soak the dried porcini mushrooms in the hot broth until softened, 20 minutes. Strain the mushrooms and broth, reserving each separately.

In a food processor, combine the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped.

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, the thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, 6 minutes. Add the porcini and fresh mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved broth and the tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Simmer over low heat until the liquid has reduced by half and the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese.

Carve the chicken into thin slices and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

This is a light yet very satisfying dish. Scallops are rich and meaty, so you don't need to serve a lot of them to do the trick. Chickpeas add some texture and body to the quinoa to make it more substantial and the orange zest infuses a nice bright citrusy flavor into the dish, flecking the grain with its pretty color.
serves 6

for the quinoa:
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water and the quinoa, orange zest, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so that the mixture simmers. Cover the pan and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork, cover the pan, and let the quinoa sit for 10 to 12 minutes.

for the scallops:
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Thread 3 scallops onto a skewer. Thread another skewer (alongside the first) through the scallops about ½ inch apart to make flipping the skewers easier. Repeat with the remaining scallops and skewers to make 6 skewers in total. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

for the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Put the quinoa into a large serving bowl. Add the dressing, chickpeas, and parsley. Toss until coated. Arrange the grilled scallops on top and serve.

I don't eat a lot of tofu, but when I do, this is one of my favorite ways to eat it. When you grill tofu, it gets a nice smoky crust on it, which I like a lot. This is definitely not bland tofu! The color of the green, creamy avocado is great and it makes you feel like you are indulging because it is so buttery. The textures and tastes here send a happy message to your brain. And this is a fast dish to whip up on a weeknight: The tofu is done in five minutes and the avocado sauce gets made in the food processor.
serves 4