Feast of the Seven Fishes

For all you doing it this year...what are you planning to make?

I usually am busy on Christmas Eve, so we've never done a Christmas Eve meal before. But when I decided for the first time in 12 years to let some (very experienced) volunteers take over, we decided to invite some friends. Then we thought of the 7 fishes idea. Only one last minute addition is Italian-American, so we're going to cheat, Betsy is going to make either risotto or bouillaibaise to cover 3-5 fishes. Not many of our dishes will be "traditional" - I'm making Cointreau gravlax, with a creme fraiche topping. I'll probably do octupus salad, and Betsy fried calamari to cover a few traditonal bases.

Not really 7 separate dishes, but since we're having 11 people for goose and capon on Christmas Day, seemed enough!

So what are you doing?

Excellent Dale...and they don't have to be 7 different dishes, only 7 different Fishes...LOL! We have started doing lots on non-traditional stuff as well...which is lots of fun, I think. My Parents always host Christmas Eve, so this yr there will be:

Scungilli and Calamari Salad
Grilled Baby Octopus
Shrimp cocktail
A platter of anchovy, sardines, and tuna in olive oil served with roasted veggies and crackers
Crab cakes
Grilled Scallops with Rosemary
Poached Salmon

We will also have Bruschetta, Mini pizzas, Mushrooms stuffed with spinach and pinoli nuts, Penne vodka sauce, string beans almondine, tossed salad, and a rice pilaf.

In previous yrs we have done Mussels Marinara, Lobster Salad, Linguini with Clams, Smoked Salmon Quiches, Zuppa de Pesces, and Halibut Fillets.

I hope someday I can host it and do some very traditional dishes (ie Baccala or grilled eel) and modern dishes (sushi and crab cakes). I think it would be so much fun.

[Jenise]

We're having dinner with a good friend who does a modified version of this based on the foods his grandmother made when he grew up. I believe he repeats the same dishes every year, and so there will be fried salt cod, to name one of the fishes. I also remember a ravioli that I don't think was seafood, and a pot of the most heavenly fried cabbage that I went back for seconds and thirds of.

Oh Jenise...my Aunt does a fried cabbage on Christmas Eve and it is so, so good. There is usually a pasta course that is non-seafood. Back in the day, my Mom made homemade Manicotti...which involved her making these egg crepe-like pasta sheets, filling with the Ricotta filling and topping with tomato "gravy" and baking. They were so good and one of the very few things my Mom would cook well (she doesn't like to cook at all). Over the yrs, the manicotti were slowly replaced by lasagna, then baked ziti...and now the more "elegant" and very less traditional Penne Vodka (not even sure if this a real dish in Italy). And My Mom has the whole thing catered, so she does no cooking. Someday, I will do it, and hopefully, bring back the more traditional dishes.

Maria,

I always enjoy hearing about your FOTSF each year. This year's menu sounds outstanding! Is that feast based upon Italian tradition? Catholic tradition? None of those? I asked my Italian girlfriend if they ever did this when she was growing up and she said "no". But then again, she is from the far, far west side of Italy. A little area called California.