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Feast of the Seven Fishes
Sometimes the best memories are saved and savored at the table.
by Roy Finamore
Christmas Eve belonged to Grandma. Holidays were all dealt out in our family: Thanksgiving was my mother's; Christmas Day, Aunt Julie's; Easter, Aunt Carol's. But Grandma Finamore ruled on Christmas Eve, when we were to arrive in time to sit down at 6 o'clock for her feast of the seven fishes.
If my grandfather, who died before I was born, had not insisted that his would be an American family, we would have called the meal la Cena della Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve dinner). But none of us learned Italian. We all knew, however, that this was the day when Grandma was at her most Italian, most traditional, and most demanding. Somehow, luck was involved in what you ate, and we all had to eat certain dishes or else something dire would happen. (The dire thing was that Grandma wouldn't bring out the pizzas, which all the kids craved and would have eaten before anything else on the table.)
There were always seven fishes. My first memories of this meal date back to the very early 1960s. I understood meatless Fridays in our Catholic household. Naturally, we ate fish on those days, but Grandma was always vague about why she served seven kinds on this special occasion. "It's an important number" was about as far as she would go. (Surprising, since she was always ready to make up stories. She claimed to be 5-foot-2 when we all knew she was 4-foot-11.)
I've since learned of countless possible explanations for the seven fishes. Here are some, in no particular order: the seven holy martyrs, the seven deadly sins, the seven joys or sorrows of Mary, the seven sacraments, the seven hills of Rome, the seven "O" antiphons from the vespers of the octave preceding Christmas (December 17-23), the seven days of the week, the 52 weeks of the year (5 and 2 make seven).
For me, the most important thing was the meal, not the symbolism. With Grandma at the helm, it was a big, sloppy, joyous family affair. After she dished out what we had to eat and watched to make sure every plate was clean, she'd bring out the rest of the food and serve it family style. Chaos reigned. Hands grabbed for bowls of pasta with anchovies or Grandma's mackerel (she knew we all loved that) or the escarole and spinach or mushrooms that had the zing of hot cherry peppers. Kids would announce the number of slices of pizza they had so far devoured. Some years there would be eel; other years, stuffed squid, and the expected cousins made the expected squeals. I ate everything.
I was also there with Grandma to cook, probably from the time I was 10. I would arrive at 6 in the morning, when our day was supposed to begin, but it was always clear that Grandma had been in the kitchen at least a couple of hours already. She would set me to work kneading dough for pizzas ("Keep going, honey -- knead it until it blisters"), then cleaning squid ("such a good job for small hands"), grating stale bread on the box grater for crumbs, washing the greens, or trimming the mushrooms. As I got older, Grandma let me advance to more complicated jobs, then to sauces, and then to making (under her eagle eye) some of the dishes myself. It was an apprenticeship. And Grandma, as chef, always took credit. How could she not? This was her holiday.
Christmas Eve is mine now. The families don't gather, but I keep up the tradition with friends. Last year there were 12 of us, including three young ones who do not squeal at new food. Unlike Grandma, I serve the meal in courses.
I see the feast of seven fishes as a party, so I start it off with drinks and a few of the fishes -- baked clams hot from the oven, tuna pâté shaped into a fish on its platter (both dishes are easy finger foods), and then sweet and sour flounder.
The soup starts the table portion of the meal. Then pasta, followed by Grandma's mackerel, then branzini poached in "crazy water." (Yes, I brought out boiled potatoes to serve with the branzini, breaking the cardinal rule of no potatoes when you've already had pasta. Come on, we were all full, but the potatoes taste so good with the crazy water.)
It's a big feast, but small portions and breaks between courses make it realistic. You need time to talk at the table -- it's a holiday.
Pasta Handkerchiefs with Anchovy Sauce
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 60 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
The large squares of pasta are meant to represent the swaddling clothes of the baby Jesus, but the dish is tasty even without any special meaning attached to it. What is key is the homemade pasta. And since the sauce takes no time at all, please take the time to make the pasta. (You will need a pasta maker for this recipe.)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for handling
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of kosher or sea salt
- Anchovy Sauce
- Garnish: grated Pecorino cheese
In the bowl of a food processor, combine 2 cups flour, eggs, oil, and a large pinch of salt. Pulse and process until dough forms a ball. (If dough resists forming a ball, add a tablespoon or two of water.) Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead a few times until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest at least 30 minutes (refrigerate if letting rest longer).
Line a sheet pan with a kitchen towel. Cut off one-third of dough and flatten it on a floured work surface. Place dough in pasta machine and roll at widest setting; fold in half and roll again. Continue folding and rolling at widest setting, rubbing dough with flour if it feels damp, until dough blisters. Roll (no folding anymore), lowering the setting with each roll and flouring as needed, to the second-to-last setting (number 6 on the Marcato Atlas pasta machine). Cut pasta into large squares using the width as your guide, and layer, flouring pasta squares well so they don't stick together, on prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days until ready to use.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water well and add pasta squares. Return water to a boil and cook pasta 1 minute, until just al dente. Drain and return pasta to pot. Add Anchovy Sauce, toss well, and serve immediately. Let guests garnish their pasta with cheese at the table.
Anchovy Sauce
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 3.3-ounce jar anchovies, drained
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, swirling pan or stirring, until butter is bubbling and anchovies have dissolved into the sauce. Keep warm until serving.
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Baked Clams
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Start to Finish Time: 50 minutes
Bread stuffings for clams are usually dry and stodgy. The potato in these baked clams makes them creamy and highlights their ocean brininess.
- 24 littleneck clams
- 1 russet potato, peeled, cooked, riced, and cooled
- 1/4 cup chopped scallion
- 1/4 cup (packed) chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
- 2 cups kosher salt
Heat oven to 450°. Shuck clams into a strainer set over a bowl (reserve 24 shells). Refrigerate clams and clam juice separately. Clean shells, scraping the bit of muscle attached to shell. Wash shells and set aside.
Chop clams and combine with potato, scallion, parsley, cheese, oil, oregano, and 1/4 cup reserved clam juice. Stir well. Pour salt onto a rimmed sheet pan (a quarter-sheet pan is ideal) to make a bed for the clams. Fill shells with clam mixture and set on salt-filled pan. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 8 hours in advance; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.) Bake clams 8 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving -- they will be hot.
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Pea Soup with Minted Crab
Soups, Stews, Chowders Recipes
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Frozen peas ensure that you can have soup on the table in a matter of minutes.
- 10 ounces lump crabmeat (we prefer Dungeness)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- 4 cups water
- 1 head green-leaf lettuce, quartered
- 1 pound frozen petite peas
In a small bowl, toss crabmeat with 1 tablespoon oil, mint, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Prepare an ice water bath. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Salt it well and add lettuce. Return water to a boil and blanch lettuce 1 minute; drain, reserving water, and refresh lettuce in ice water. Drain again.
Place peas in a strainer and run under hot water to take the chill off them. In a blender, puree peas and lettuce with reserved water in batches until very smooth. Strain puree for the silkiest soup. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 3 days in advance; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.)
In a saucepan, bring soup to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and heat another 2 to 3 minutes. Right before serving, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Garnish individual bowls of soup with crabmeat.
This recipe was submitted by one of our readers and has not been tested by our food editors. We are not responsible for errors in this recipe, but if you find one, please let us know in our feedback form.
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Sweet and Sour Flounder
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 1 days
Yield: 6 servings
Tangy with vinegar and sweet with dried currants, the marinade for this fish is called saor in Italian. The dish is ideal as a first course and wonderful as part of the multicourse Christmas Eve feast. Sole may be substituted for flounder, if you prefer.
- 1-1/2 pounds flounder filets
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- All-purpose flour for dredging
- 1 cup plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup dry vermouth
- 1/3 cup dried currants
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Season fish with salt and pepper; dredge with flour, patting off excess.
In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, fry fish until golden on both sides. Transfer fish to a nonreactive serving bowl just large enough to hold it in one layer; set aside.
Discard oil in pan. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil and onions and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add garlic and bay leaves and cook 1 minute. Add vinegar and vermouth, then stir in currants, pine nuts, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and pour marinade over fish. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate 24 hours before serving.
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Tuna Pate
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Start to Finish Time: 120 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serve this simple spread with crostini or plain, crisp crackers. And please, use the best tuna in olive oil you can find; tuna packed in water or vegetable oil just won't cut it for this recipe.
- 1 russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- Pinch of kosher or sea salt
- 2 6-ounce cans imported tuna, packed in olive oil
- 1/2 cup (packed) chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 3 anchovy filets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- Garnish: thin cucumber slices and a caper
In a small saucepan, cover potato with cold water by at least 1 inch. Add a good pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover pan partway, and cook until potato is tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and return potato to pan. Dry the potato, shaking pan, over medium heat, until it is floury and has left a film on the bottom of the pan. Rice potato into a bowl and set aside to cool.
In a food processor, combine tuna (with its oil), parsley, capers, anchovies, oil, and vinegar. Process, scraping down sides a few times, until the mixture is a very smooth paste. Season with cayenne.
Fold tuna paste into potato thoroughly, until there are no lumps of potato. On a small platter, form pâté into the shape of a fish. Chill at least 1 hour.
Right before serving, garnish "fish" with cucumber slices as scales and a caper as an eye.
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Grandma's Mackerel
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This dish was my mother's favorite part of Grandma's Christmas Eve dinner. I use Spanish mackerel, but Boston (Atlantic) will work fine; add a few minutes to the baking time for the thicker filets.
- 1-1/2 pounds mackerel filets, pin bones removed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced to a paste or put through a press
- Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese
- 1/4 cup (packed) minced parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Heat oven to 450°. Place fish in a single layer in an oiled casserole dish. Rub garlic into fish and season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, and parsley; sprinkle over fish. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar; spoon over fish.
Bake 15 minutes; some of the crumbs will be browned and the pan will be crackling. Remove pan from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
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Branzini Poached in Acqua Pazza
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 90 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
A mixture of tomatoes, garlic, and water, acqua pazza ("crazy water") is Italy's answer to court-bouillon. Other flavorful small fish, such as orate or black sea bass, can stand in for the branzini (Mediterranean sea bass).
- 6 cups water
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into halves
- 2cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 dried hot red pepper
- Stems from 1 bunch parsley, tied with kitchen string
- 2 slices lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt, to taste
- 3 whole branzini (about 1 pound each), scaled and gutted
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Garnish: extra-virgin olive oil and coarse sea salt
In a 12-inch skillet, combine water, tomatoes, garlic, hot pepper, parsley stems, lemon slices, and oil. Season well with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour.
Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper and let rest 5 minutes. Add fish to skillet -- the crazy water should be just rippling, not bubbling -- cover, and poach 6 minutes. Turn fish, cover, and poach another 6 minutes. Remove fish from water and let rest 5 minutes.
Skin and filet the fish. Serve in shallow bowls, with some of crazy water and tomatoes spooned over the top. Garnish with a drizzle of your best olive oil and sea salt.
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