Dinners and desserts for $20 and less

For the pea sauce:
In a small pot, boil salted water. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and then cool under cold running water. Set aside. In a sauté pan, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and two tablespoons of the diced onion and sauté until softened (but not browned). Add one quarter cup chicken stock and bring to a simmer; then add ½ cup of the peas and let simmer for an additional minute. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer over a bowl, extracting as much puree as possible. Season with salt to taste. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

For the mushrooms:
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook until they soften slightly (approx. 5 minutes). Add two tablespoons of the stock and one tablespoon of the butter, stir well, and remove from the pan and set aside.

For the risotto:
Put the remaining two cups of chicken stock in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Heat two tablespoons of the butter and the two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the remaining onions and sauté, again until softened. Add the rice and cook, stirring until coated with oil, for two minutes. Add the wine and stir/scrape the bottom of the pot until the wine is reduced by two thirds. Begin adding simmering broth to the pot, one half cup at a time, and stir until absorbed completely. Continue adding broth a half cup at a time until it's all used and absorbed. When the risotto is done, it will be soft, but with a slight firmness in the center of the grain. Add the mushrooms, reserved whole peas, pea sauce, parsley and pecorino. Incorporate all ingredients by stirring together.

Mix all ingredients together in a baking pan cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes for firmer rhubarb or 50 minutes for softer rhubarb compote.

Chill and serve a top ice cream. Finish with sliced almonds if it's in your budget.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat, add the leeks, chorizo and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the yuca, boniato, carrots and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add the cilantro leaves and the chicken stock. Cover, reduce heat, and cook for five minutes, add the tomatoes, adjust the seasoning, reduce heat to low.

Heat remaining olive oil in cast iron skillet, season grouper on both sides with salt and pepper. Sauté grouper, cooking the skin side first until skin has a nice golden color. Turn fish, and place in a 350F oven for 1-2 minutes. Uncover the stew and add butter. Remove fish from oven.

In a wide low bowl, mound the root vegetables, leek and chorizo in the center. Place the fish skin side up on top of the stew and sauce with remaining stew mixture. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Place the sugar in a small skillet over medium-high heat and stir while it liquefies.

Continue stirring until sugar boils and turns a brown color.

Pour the caramel into the bottom of the flan pan and working quickly, spread it evenly with a rubber spatula over the bottom of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and mix until cream cheese is smooth and without any lumps. Add eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and milks and continue mixing for at least four minutes.

Pour the mixture into the flan pan and place in a baking pan. Place in the center of the oven and pour water halfway up the sides. Bake for 1 1/2-2 hours or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow flan to cool completely.

Fried chicken
1. Remove skin from chicken thighs and rinse thoroughly. Pat dry and set aside.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the garlic, chilies and curry paste and sauté until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, 1 cup of water and return the chicken to pan. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Combine cornstarch and panko together.

3. Dip chicken in egg whites then roll it in the panko-cornstarch mix. Coat well.

4. Heat the peanut oil in a large, deep pan to 350° F. Carefully add the chicken pieces and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes total cooking time.

5. Place on paper towel to remove excess oil. Season with salt.

Spinach
1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels, and crumble into small pieces. Set aside.

2. In small saucepan, bring the coconut milk and soy sauce to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and crumbled bacon. Set aside.

3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large straight-sided pan over low heat. Add the garlic, and slowly toast until pale golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Be careful not to let it burn). Lift the garlic out of the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. Add the collard greens and cook, stirring frequently, until the greens start to wilt. Stir in the coconut milk mixture and cook for about 20 minutes, until the greens are tender and the sauce has thickened.

5. Stir the reserved garlic into the greens and serve.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and coat with the bread crumbs.

2. Toss together the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Set aside.

3. Peel and core the apples, then slice one apple into 16 wedges. Combine the cinnamon and 1/3 cup of the sugar mixture in a medium bowl. Add the apple wedges and toss to coat. Roughly dice the remaining apple.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and the remaining sugar mixture on medium speed until light, fluffy, and lemon colored, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the half-and-half, and mix until combined. Fold the diced apple into the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Arrange 14 of the apple wedges fanned along the outer edge of the pan and place the 2 remaining wedges in the center. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is golden brown.

6. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a small offset spatula around the edges to release the cake from the pan and remove the springform. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, then cut into 12 wedges.