Scottos’ creamy, comforting holiday recipes

For wild mushrooms and chestnuts: Slice and quarter fresh mushrooms. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium to high heat. When oil is smoking, sauté mushrooms in 2 batches if necessary until browned well, about 5 to 8 minutes. After mushrooms brown, set aside in a bowl.

Slice chestnuts in half and add to the same sauté pan. Cook until browned over medium to high heat, about 5 to 8 minutes, remove and set aside in a bowl.

In the same sauté pan, add the garlic and shallots together and sauté over low flame until soft and lightly browned, and then deglaze with Marsala wine. Cook wine for 1 minute, then add all cooked mushrooms and chestnuts and simmer over low flame for 5 minutes, then turn off flame.

Creamy polenta: In a large pot over medium heat, bring the milk and water to a boil, then slowly add the polenta. Lower the heat and stir constantly for 6 to 7 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat and stir in the mascarpone.

Spoon the polenta into 6 small soup bowls and top with the warm wild mushrooms and chestnuts. Serve immediately.

In a deep fryer, heat the oil to a temperature of 400° F. Keep the oil at this temperature until you are ready to deep-fry the seafood and vegetables.

Mix together the flour, semolina, powdered onion, powdered garlic, and paprika. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the seafood and julienned vegetables in the flour mixture until they are completely coated. Deep-fry until golden brown. You can fry them in any order, just don’t overcrowd the fryer.

Place the fritto misto on a serving platter, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and season with salt to taste. Garnish the platter with the lemon halves. Serve warm.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 6 to 8 minutes, until barely al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium to high heat. Add the wine, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, and clams. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the clams open. Discard any that do not open.

Add the pasta, tomatoes, and reserved cooking water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the water has almost evaporated. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with parsley.

Combine chocolate and ¼ cup of the heavy cream in a heatproof bowl and place over barely simmering water. Heat until melted. Remove from heat.

Whip egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and tripled in volume, add mascarpone and whip for 1 minute more.

Soften gelatin in rum, then melt over gentle heat. Whisk into egg yolk mixture, then fold in chocolate.

Whip remaining 2 cups of heavy cream and fold into chocolate mascarpone mixture.