A few years in the past our household adopted the custom of the Feast of Seven Fishes for our Christmas Eve vacation feast. It’s definitely modified over time, but it surely’s nonetheless a enjoyable household custom we love doing. If you happen to’re questioning what meals to make for Christmas Eve dinner, give this a strive!
And sure … there actually are seven sorts of seafood!
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A Approach to Hold Custom Alive
I wish to cross on the most effective of our household tradition, traditions, and heritage. For the Italian facet, this typically means passing on the meals and recipes.
Attempting to have a wholesome way of life isn’t about throwing traditions centered round meals out of the window. Removed from it! As an alternative, I’ve modified meatball recipes, pasta recipes, and even Christmas cookie recipes to suit our allergy symptoms and dietary wants.
One Italian-American custom specifically was simple and enjoyable to proceed with our household. It’s referred to as “The Feast of the Seven Fishes” within the US however merely “La Vigilia,” (the vigil) in southern Italy. Because the identify suggests, this custom actually includes making seven (or extra) varieties of fish on Christmas Eve.
Feast of the Seven Fishes: It’s What’s for Christmas Eve Dinner!
There’s a lot debate as to the historic origin of this custom, although we proceed it merely due to its connection to household. Consuming fish on Christmas Eve traces again to the Roman Catholic custom of abstaining from meat on Fridays and particular Holy Days. Abstaining from meat on Christmas Eve would have signified ready in anticipation of the Christ Baby’s arrival on Christmas morning.
In the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, there have been quite a lot of southern Italian immigrants to America (particularly New York). They introduced with them the custom of serving fish dishes on Christmas Eve. Many Italian-American households nonetheless proceed this vacation season custom.
The quantity seven can be up for debate, as many households serve fewer varieties of fish (and a few function many as 13!). Seven is probably going the most typical quantity due to its sturdy historic and cultural significance in lots of components of Europe, together with Italy. In biblical historical past, the quantity seven represents completeness and perfection. There are additionally seven sacraments and 7 lethal sins in Catholic teachings.
Does it Should Be Fish?
Some individuals actually do keep on with seven varieties of fish at their seafood feast. Others (like myself) simply intention for seven totally different sorts of seafood.
NOTE: You don’t must make all the dishes directly to do this custom! I definitely didn’t begin making all seven initially. Choose only one or two and also you’ve received a festive, significant, and scrumptious Christmas Eve meal.
Our Household’s Model of “La Vigilia“
It’s taken me virtually a decade to lastly get into a very good routine for this particular Christmas Eve meal. As you possibly can think about, there might be quite a lot of prep work and cooking concerned! I added a dish every year till I received to the complete seven.
Now to make it even simpler I make a seafood stew that has most (or all) of the seven fishes in it. There are quite a lot of totally different choices, however listed below are our favourite dishes and ones I’ve typically made for Christmas Eve dinner.
Appetizer Seafood Dishes
Cooking so many dishes can simply get overwhelming and contain an excessive amount of meals. Small appetizers are a great way to honor this Italian-American Christmas Eve custom with out going overboard. Any of those may very well be served as an appetizer or as a part of the principle meal.
Crab and Clam Arancini
Arancini is a standard Italian meals, however I’ve added two varieties of seafood to make it match with this meal. The identify means “little orange” they usually’re small fried balls of rice that resemble an orange as soon as cooked. They’re historically full of mozzarella cheese and meat, however I take advantage of seafood, herbs, and peppers for a flavorful different.
Mussels in Wine Sauce
A dish that appears actually fancy however couldn’t be less complicated to make. Since this meal has so many programs, we solely make 2-3 of those per individual. The youngsters assume they’re enjoyable and revel in serving to make them. I take advantage of this recipe and blend up the herbs and spices just a little every year.
Scallops in Browned Butter
I really like scallops they usually’re an ideal a part of a vacation meal. Our favourite method to make them is with just a little browned butter, olive oil, and contemporary herbs. Since there are such a lot of different dishes at this meal, we solely make one per individual. My recipe may be very related to this one (I simply miss the capers).
Shrimp Cocktail
This easy appetizer couldn’t be simpler to organize. Boiled after which cooled shrimp are dipped in a zesty, tomato-based sauce. If you happen to don’t have a wholesome premade cocktail sauce obtainable, then strive this do-it-yourself one. Primal Kitchen has an unsweetened ketchup that may work effectively on this recipe.
Skillet Bang Bang Shrimp with Sriracha Dipping Sauce
All of the flavors of the well-known bang-bang shrimp with out the deep frying! I saute shrimp in butter till cooked and serve with a candy chili and sriracha sauce.
Canned Fish
Canned sardines are one other simple (and wholesome) appetizer to whip up for this meal. You’ll be able to mash them within the can and serve them on prime of crackers with a slice of cheese. Canned fish actually cuts down on the prep time for this dinner. Listed here are a number of different concepts for the way to eat sardines.
Most important Dishes
Pasta dishes typically accompany this seafood unfold, but it surely’s not one thing we sometimes do.
If you wish to cook dinner some pasta to your meal, listed below are some choices. Generally we’ll use gluten-free rice noodles for pasta, or I’ll typically make veggie noodles. Add some do-it-yourself marinara sauce and also you’re in enterprise! If you happen to’re feeling spicy, strive some fra diavolo sauce as a substitute.
Baccalà- Salted Cod in Butter & Wine Discount
Baccalà is a standard predominant course for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Historically, that is made with true Baccalà cod that’s been preserved in salt and dried. Earlier than I moved to the south this was exhausting to seek out so I received inventive.
I’ve made my very own model utilizing contemporary cod and salt in a butter and wine sauce. Right here’s a traditional Baccalà recipe if you wish to make your individual.
Soups, Salads, and Sides
Because the meal is extra complicated we maintain the edges tremendous easy on this night time. I’ll typically simply make a contemporary salad and roast some broccoli. You would even make a seafood salad with this tasty Caesar salad. The dressing is made with salty anchovies and I prefer to prime it with some sardines.
Shrimp Bisque
A household favourite recreated from a soup we had in a restaurant. This easy shrimp bisque is very easy to make and has superb taste. Making this one at Christmas at all times jogs my memory how good it’s and to place it again within the household meal rotation.
Seafood Stew
Through the years our Christmas Eve dinner routine has modified so much. Whereas I nonetheless make a few of these recipes for the meal, I’ve simplified the method because of this soup. Historically often known as cioppino, seafood stew options hearty fish fillets like halibut and shellfish. It’s a straightforward method to pack most (or all) of the 7 varieties of seafood into one predominant dish.
You may as well make one thing like this hearty seafood chowder. I’d use arrowroot powder as a substitute of the all-purpose flour although.
Feast of the Seven Fishes Serving Suggestions
If you happen to’re not counting on a seafood heavy soup, there might be fairly a number of meals to organize directly. Thankfully, it’s simple sufficient to do most of it forward of time. I sometimes put together every thing besides the scallops beforehand. I gently reheat the dishes, sauté the scallops, toss the salad, and we’re able to go!
One other method to make the meal extra festive is to have some particular wines available. Since I found Dry Farm Wines, I additionally ensure I’ve a few of their white wine to serve for an ideal pairing. The youngsters get some glowing fruit-infused water in fancy glasses!
For dessert I’ll normally simply serve some contemporary fruit with just a little whipped cream on prime. If you wish to go all out on dessert although, listed below are some tasty dessert recipes to strive.
Do you’ve got any particular traditions for Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner?
