The Feast of the Seven Fishes - A Holiday Special by Chef Emily

by Chef Emily

As an Italian American who grew up in New York, the Christmas season was the most exciting time of the year! Every weekend feels like a holiday in and of itself with light shows, decorations lining the streets, and special desserts you can only find this time of year. My family has a cherished tradition of a special dinner on Christmas Eve. It is not just setting up cookies for Santa and reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas” but an all out FEAST! A Sicilian tradition that spread throughout the Italian community and beyond, the Feast of the Seven Fishes. And it truly is one of my personal favorites meals of the year (Sorry, Thanksgiving!)

This holiday has a mixed background. Some will say it started in Sicily, where eating fish is an all year affair. Others will say it started in New York, with another rich history of fishing and where many Italians immigrated to, my family included. Both my parents' families celebrated Christmas Eve in this way and adapted it in our own tradition. 

Thinking of 7 fish dishes the whole family will enjoy can seem daunting! But here are a mix of classic and approachable ideas to have on your Christmas Eve table if you are looking to partake in the feast:

• Seafood Salad: Knock out all 7 fish by creating a diverse seafood salad. This is typically a combination of shellfish, including shrimp, clams, muscles, calamari, scallops, octopus, and crab, in a citrus vinaigrette served cold. This makes a great appetizer to compose a feast in one bowl. 
  
  
• Clams Casino: Bacon and breadcrumbs on top of umami packed clams. Add to your appetizer spread and honor this true ocean treasure. Call it 'vongole' and feel like you’re on the Sopranos. 
  
  
• N’duja Braised Calamari: Step out of the norms of fried calamari, and attempt a simple and quick braise. N’djua is a wonderfully spiced, spreadable pork sausage from Calabria Italy that adds incredible depth to this versatile delicacy.
  
  
• She-crab Soup or Lobster Bisque: Creamy, warm, and comforting. This soup has a delicate way to add fish to your feast. Warm your guests up before digging in with either of these shell fish creations.
  
  
• Shrimp Scampi: This may be a series regular on your dinner table and will make a welcomed addition to your holiday meal. Bright lemony shrimp, a top buttered pasta, who wouldn’t marvel at that on a cold winter evening. 
  
  
• Fried Flounder: Light, flakey fish that is both delightful and satisfying fried. Top with tartar sauce for added familiarity or green beans and mashed potatoes mirroring American classics. This dish will surely change fish skeptics into fish adorers.
  
  
• Baccala: Perhaps the most authentic option on the menu is a dried salted cod. Its tradition is rich, dating back to before refrigeration, coastal Europeans used the salting method to savor a prized fish for as long as they could. Enriched in a tomato sauce or paired with crispy potatoes, there's a Neapolitan lure that there are over 350 ways to prepare this favored fish, so it can be enjoyed daily.

The best part of the Christmas season is about taking your favorite holiday traditions and mixing it with new ones. If fish is your fav, bring it to the table this year with one of these Italian renditions. And remember, it does not have to be a perfect 7 to honor the tradition and spread holiday cheer.

Buon Natale! 🎁✨