Every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember my family (on my father’s side) gathered at my aunt Amelia and uncle Alfredo’s house to feast on fish. We never call it Feast of the 7 Fish, it’s just Christmas Eve dinner to us. I’m guessing we eat closer to 12 different types of fish everything from baccala (salt cod) to squid to eel.

Below you will find a fairly simple Feast of the 7 Fish menu consisting of a salad (insalate), pasta (primo), and entr`ee (secondo). It is designed to serve 4. I’ve also linked the Instagram video for each for visual guidance.

Insalate (2 Fish)

Grilled Calamari Salad

I’ve never really liked fried calamari, but I do appreciate the crunchy texture. This grilled calamari with panko topping has it all. The second fish in this dish is anchovy which is added to the panko breadcrumb topping. The panko topping and the dressing can be made a day in advance. Click here for the video reference.

Calamari Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs Calamari cleaned
• 2 C Whole milk
• 2 Tbsp Grapeseed oil

Calamari Dressing Ingredients:

• 3 Garlic cloves
• 1/4 C Olive oil
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 3/4 C Parsley fresh
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 C Kalamata olives minced

Panko Breadcrumb Topping Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 3 Canned anchovies or sardines minced
• 1 C Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

Additional Ingredients:

• 10 oz of mixed greens

Equipment:

• Grill or grill pan.
• Food processor or blender
• Scissors

Calamari Instructions: 

• To a large bowl add cleaned calamari & milk. Soak for 12-24 hrs in the fridge. Remove, rinse, and using a paper towel pat dry, VERY dry. 
• Coat calamari in grape seed oil and grill on high for 1 minute on each side. 
• Using a scissor cut the grilled calamari into rings.

Calamari Dressing Instructions: 

• To a food processor add the garlic, olive oil, salt, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and chop until finely minced.  
• Scoop into a bowl and fold in minced Kalamata olives. 
• Toss the grilled calamari rings in the dressing.

Toasted Panko Instructions: 

• In a large pan heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Add minced anchovies or sardine + seasoned Italian breadcrumbs to pan and toast until golden brown.
• Right before serving, toss the dressed calamari in the toasted panko

How-To Plate: Plate the calamari over a bed of greens.

Primo (4 Fish)

Frutti di Mare Linguine

This gorgeous pasta had four fish in one dish!! I pan sear the scallops separately because I am very particular about the cook and texture of my scallops. However, you can cook both the scallops and the shrimp together at the same time and the sauce can be made ahead of time. Click here for the video reference.

Frutti di Mare Ingredients:

• 1 lbs Cockles cleaned and purged of sand
• 1 lbs Mussels debearded and scrubbed clean
• 1.5 lbs Scallops 
• 14 large Shrimp, cleaned and shells removed
• 1 Tbsp Flour 
• 3/4 lb Linguine
• 2- 28oz Canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 C Olive oil + 2 Tbsp to cook the scallops
• 3 Shallots thinly sliced
• 4 Garlic cloves minced
• 4 oz Nduja or 2 Tbsp minced jarred Calabrian chili peppers
• 1.5 Tsp Salt + 1/2 Tbsp for pasta water
• 1/2 Tsp Pepper
• 1/3 C White wine
• 1/4 C Fresh parsley chopped

Equipment:

• One large and one medium-sized pan
• Large pot

Frutti di Mare Instructions:

• Prep your scallops by patting them dry with a paper towel, seasoning both sides with 1/2 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp pepper
• To a large pan add 1/3 C olive oil, shallots, garlic, and cook over medium-high heat. 
• Once tender add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and the Nduja (or jarred Calabrian chili peppers). 
• Once the Nduja has fully melted into the sauce, add white wine and let cook for 3 minutes.
• Add the cockles to the pan and cover with a fitted lid
• Once most of the cockles have opened, remove and set aside. Discard any that have not opened.
• Add the mussels to the pan with the sauce, cover with a fitted lid. Once most of the mussels have opened, remove and set aside. Discard any that have not opened.
• At this point fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.
• Now back to your fish. Add the shrimp to the pan with the sauce and let cook for about 4 minutes then turn the heat to low and add back the mussels and the cockles.
• Time to cook the pasta. Add 1/2 Tbsp salt + the linguine to the boiling water. Cook al dente.
• Time to cook the scallops. Grab your seasoned scallops and sprinkle a touch of flour on both sides. This will help them brown. 
• Add remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil to a large pan. Once the oil is very hot and starts to glisten, add your scallops. Cook for 2 minutes on each side.
• Add the pasta to the pan with the cockles, mussels, and shrimp. I pull my pasta straight from the pot into the pan so that it drags some of that starchy water with it. Mix it all together
• Add the scallops. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Secondo (1 Fish, 2 Options)

Option #1-Pistachio Crusted Halibut

This might be the fish dish that I am most proud of. You can make the dressing and the pistachio crust one day before to save time. Here is the video link for reference.

Halibut Ingredients

• 4 Halibut Filets
• 1 C Panko bread crumbs
• 1 C Pistachios crushed or chopped finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 3 Tbsp Olive oil
• 3 Tbsp Fresh parsley chopped
• 3/4 Tsp Salt + 
• 1/2 Tsp Pepper 

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 2 C Fresh corn
• 1/2 Jalapeno sliced
• 1 C Fresh basil
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/2 C Water
• 1/3 C Olive oil
• 2 Small Shallots
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 3/4 Tsp salt

Equipment:

• Large pan
• Large bowl
• Blender
• Cheesecloth or finely meshed sieve

Halibut Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400F
• For the breadcrumbs combine: panko, crushed pistachios, honey, olive oil, parsley, 1/2 Tsp salt, 1/4 Tsp pepper
• Brush halibut fillets with olive oil and season with remaining salt and pepper
• Place the filets on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and top with pistachio bread crumb mixture.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Vinaigrette Instructions:

• While the halibut cooks add the first 5 vinaigrette ingredients to a blender and blend until almost liquified. 
• Strain the mix through a cheesecloth. Discard what remains in the cheesecloth.
• Rinse the blender
• Add the corn, basil, jalapeno “milk” to the blender.
• Then to the same blender add olive oil, shallots, honey, and salt. Blend again.

How-To Plate: Grab four wide and shallow bowls. Divide the vinaigrette amongst the 4 bowls. Place cooked halibut on top of vinaigrette and dive on in!!

Option # 2-Stuffed Sole w/Broccoli Lemon Orzo

I just love this dish! You can make the panko topping and the dressing ahead of time and feel free to swap the orzo for rice, quinoa, or couscous. Click here for the video reference.

Sole Ingredients

• 8 Fillet of Sole
• 1.5 C Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 C Parsley fresh 
• 1/2 Tbsp Oregano
• 1 Tsp Garlic powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Tsp Pepper
• 3 Tbsp Butter melted
• 1 Tbsp Butter for greasing the baking dish
• 1/2 Lemon juiced

Broccoli Orzo Ingredients

• 2 Broccoli heads broken down into small florets
• 5 Garlic cloves smashed
• 1Tbsp Olive oil
• 1/2 C Orzo uncooked

Dressing Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp Oregano dry 
• 1⁄2 C Olive oil
• 1/2 Tsp Salt 

Equipment:

• Large baking dish
• Blender
• Large bowl
• 10×8 Casserole dish

Broccoli Orzo Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F
• To a parchment-lined baking sheet add the broccoli florets and the smashed garlic. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil.
• Roast for 15 to 20 minutes
• Lower the heat to 375F
• Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil and cook the orzo according to the directions
• Blend together all of the dressing ingredients
• In a large bowl combine the roasted broccoli, orzo, and half the dressing. Mix well and set aside

Stuffed Sole Instructions

• To a large bowl add the panko, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, butter, and lemon juice. Mix well. 
• Use only 1/2 the breadcrumb mixture to stuff each fillet of sole
• Grease a 10X8 casserole dish with butter
• Place the stuffed fillets snug into the dish and top with the remaining breadcrumb mixture.
• Bake for 15 minutes
• Drizzle the remaining dressing on top of the baked sole
• Serve the sole over the broccoli orzo.

I hope this helps! Please share your creations with me by tagging @erekav on Instagram!! Also below you will find video links to some of my other fish dishes. Happy Holidays EVERYONE!!

Salad Options

• Tuna and Anchovy Salad (Add 1 anchovy to the dressing)– 2 Fish
• Tuna Nicoise (add 2 anchovies to the dressing)– 2 Fish

Entree Options

• Panko Crusted Salmon– 1 Fish
• Jalapeno Creamed Corn and Scallops-1 Fish