$14 Fancy Date Night Dinner At Home | But Cheaper

Tomato Ricotta Toast:

1. Heat the olive oil in a 10” skillet over medium heat until it’s just about to smoke. Add the tomatoes and cook until slightly charred and softened, between 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and season lightly with the salt and pepper. Saute for 1 minute and then immediately remove from the heat to stop the cooking process.
2. Divide the ricotta between the toasted bread, spreading it evenly across the surface. Top each with the warm tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Season with flaky sea salt and pepper, and garnish with parsley.

Chicken Leg Ballotine and Cauliflower Puree:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
2. Cut out the thigh and drumstick bones from each chicken quarter, removing as little meat as possible.
3. With the skin side facing down, spread 2 tsp of whole grain mustard evenly over each chicken. Season with salt, and top each with 1 slice of cheese and 4 to 5 basil leaves. 
4. Working from the long side, tightly roll up the chicken to create a cylinder. Repeat with the second chicken. 
5. With the seam side facing down, tie four 10” pieces of kitchen twine evenly across each chicken. This will help the chicken stay intact during the bake. Trim off the excess string.
6. Coat the bottom of a skillet with the vegetable oil and place it over medium-high heat.
7. Using paper towels, pat the prepared chicken dry on all sides. Season the chicken generously with salt.  
8. Sear all sides of the chicken for an even light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken so that the seam side is facing down, and then place the pan into the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 15-20 minutes. 
9. For the cauliflower puree, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until very soft, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the cauliflower.
10. Place the cooked cauliflower into a blender and season with salt and nutmeg. Add a ¼ cup of the reserved liquid.
11. Place the lid onto the blender but remove the inner cap. Loosely cover the opening with a folded up dish towel to allow the steam to escape. Puree until smooth, adding very small amounts of the reserved liquid if necessary. Adding too much water will turn the puree into soup.
12. With the blender still running, add the butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. Set aside until ready to use.
13. To make the chimichurri, combine the parsley, finely chopped chili, lemon zest and juice, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.
14. Remove the kitchen twine from the chicken ballotine and trim off the ends slightly to create a flat surface. Cut each chicken into three even rounds. 
15. Place a large dollop of the cauliflower puree on one side of a plate. Using the back of a spoon, slide the puree across the plate to create a swoop. Repeat with a second dinner plate. Arrange 3 chicken rounds over the puree on each plate, with the cut side facing up. Garnish with the chile rounds and parsley. Place a spoonful of chimichurri over each piece of chicken.

Caramel Pears and Yogurt:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
• Place the butter in a 10-inch skillet and melt in the oven. 
• Add the brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and spread evenly. Arrange the pears in a single layer, cut side facing down.
• Bake until the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
• Remove the pan, baste each pear with sauce and then return it to the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes, basting every 2 minutes.
• Spread a generous dollop of yogurt in the center of two plates. Place a pear half over the yogurt, cut side down. Drape some caramel sauce over the pear and garnish with chopped pecans.