Halibut with Mascarpone Grits

Here are two winter recipes from a book of holiday and seasonal recipes. The book is called "Four Seasons of Entertaining" and it is written by Shayla Copas. Here are recipes for fillet of halibut with mascarpone grits and creamy mushroom risotto:

"Fillet of Halibut with Mascarpone Grits and Mushroom Marsala Broth

Serves 6

Broth

4 ounces gourmet mushroom blend (crimini, shitake, oyster)
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup marsala wine
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Salt

Directions
In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms along with 4 tablespoons of butter. Cook for 3 minutes. Add marsala wine and beef broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add remaining tablespoon of butter. Whisk in heavy cream, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Leave on low heat to keep warm.

Grits

12 ounces country ham
4.25 cups water
1 cup quick grits
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 ounces mascarpone
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
In a large skillet, cook country ham according to the package. Dice the ham and set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add grits and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir continuously until mixture return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook approximately 8 minutes or until mixture reaches desired thickness. Add mascarpone, diced country ham, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to melt the mascarpone and blend. Keep warm over low heat.

Halibut

Serves 6
8 3-4 ounce fillets of sea bass (about 1.5 inches thick)
Salt and pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until flaky. The baking time will depend on the thickness of your fish. Remove from oven and prepare to plate.

To serve, spoon a large dollop of the grits mixture into individual shallow bowls. Place a halibut fillet on top of the grits. Spoon the marsala broth with mushrooms over the top of the fillet. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley to garnish.

Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Crumbled Prosciutto

Serves 6

4 slices prosciutto
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1.5 cups arborio rice
3/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup shredded parmigiano-reggiano
8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place prosciutto slices on a baking sheet and bake until crispy. In a large stock pot, heat chicken stock over medium heat. While the chicken stock is warming, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion until tender and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add rice and cook for about 1 minute. Add white wine and stir. Add warm chicken stock to the skillet one ladle at a time. Stir continuously, allowing the rice to absorb all the stock before adding the next ladle. Continue until you've used all the chicken stock. Stir in parmigiano-reggiano, mushrooms, and an additional tablespoon of butter, and cook until mushrooms are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place a scoop of risotto on individual plates and top with crumbled crispy prosciutto."

- from "Four Seasons of Entertaining," by Shayla Copas