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 through the years, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a enjoyable household custom we love doing. Should you’re questioning what meals to make for Christmas Eve dinner, give this a attempt!
And sure … there actually are seven sorts of seafood!
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A Strategy to Hold Custom Alive
I need to cross on the most effective of our household tradition, traditions, and heritage. For the Italian aspect, this typically means passing on the meals and recipes.
Making an attempt to have a wholesome life-style 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 straightforward and enjoyable to proceed with our household. It’s known 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 entails 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 Youngster’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 commonest quantity due to its sturdy historic and cultural significance in lots of elements 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 stick with seven varieties of fish at their seafood feast. Others (like myself) simply purpose for seven totally different sorts of seafood.
NOTE: You don’t must make the entire dishes without delay to do that custom! I definitely didn’t begin making all seven firstly. 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 great routine for this particular Christmas Eve meal. As you’ll be able to 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 total 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 could possibly 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 crammed with mozzarella cheese and meat, however I exploit seafood, herbs, and peppers for a flavorful various.
Mussels in Wine Sauce
A dish that appears actually fancy however couldn’t be easier to make. Since this meal has so many programs, we solely make 2-3 of those per individual. The children assume they’re enjoyable and revel in serving to make them. I exploit this recipe and blend up the herbs and spices slightly every year.
Scallops in Browned Butter
I like scallops they usually’re an ideal a part of a vacation meal. Our favourite technique to make them is with slightly 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 could be very related to this one (I simply miss the capers).
Shrimp Cocktail
This easy appetizer couldn’t be simpler to arrange. Boiled after which cooled shrimp are dipped in a zesty, tomato-based sauce. Should you don’t have a wholesome premade cocktail sauce accessible, then attempt this home made one. Primal Kitchen has an unsweetened ketchup that may work properly 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 straightforward (and wholesome) appetizer to whip up for this meal. You’ll be able to mash them within the can and serve them on high of crackers with a slice of cheese. Canned fish actually cuts down on the prep time for this dinner. Listed below are just a few different concepts for methods to eat sardines.
Most important Dishes
Pasta dishes typically accompany this seafood unfold, nevertheless it’s not one thing we sometimes do.
If you wish to cook dinner some pasta in 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 home made marinara sauce and also you’re in enterprise! Should you’re feeling spicy, attempt some fra diavolo sauce as a substitute.
Baccalà- Salted Cod in Butter & Wine Discount
Baccalà is a standard important 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 onerous to search 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 basic Baccalà recipe if you wish to make your personal.
Soups, Salads, and Sides
For the reason that 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 can even make a seafood salad with this tasty Caesar salad. The dressing is made with salty anchovies and I prefer to high 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 wonderful taste. Making this one at Christmas all the time jogs my memory how good it’s and to place it again within the household meal rotation.
Seafood Stew
Over time 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 due to this soup. Historically referred to as cioppino, seafood stew options hearty fish fillets like halibut and shellfish. It’s a straightforward technique to pack most (or all) of the 7 varieties of seafood into one important dish.
You can too 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
Should you’re not counting on a seafood heavy soup, there might be fairly just a few meals to arrange without delay. Luckily, it’s straightforward sufficient to do most of it forward of time. I sometimes put together every part besides the scallops beforehand. I gently reheat the dishes, sauté the scallops, toss the salad, and we’re able to go!
One other technique to make the meal extra festive is to have some particular wines readily available. Since I found Dry Farm Wines, I additionally be sure that I’ve a few of their white wine to serve for an ideal pairing. The children get some glowing fruit-infused water in fancy glasses!
For dessert I’ll normally simply serve some contemporary fruit with slightly whipped cream on high. If you wish to go all out on dessert although, listed below are some tasty dessert recipes to attempt.
Do you will have any particular traditions for Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner?
