Feast of the Seven Fishes
Feast of the Seven Fishes
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Feast of the Seven Fishes
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Post #1 - December 8th, 2009, 10:57 pmI was watching one of those "Throwdown Shows" where they were discussing the "Feast of the Seven Fishes", a meal of seven seafood dishes served in Italian families on Christmas Eve.
Is there any restaurant that offers something similar?
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Post #2 - December 9th, 2009, 1:01 amVa Pensiero in Evanston has had an all-seafood dinner on Christmas Eve for many years. I've been, but it was probably at least 10 or 11 years ago, when the restaurant was under different management, so I can't say how it is now.
"A Seafood Repast Christmas Eve at Va Pensiero Thursday, December 24, 6:00pm
Traditionally, Italians feast on an all-seafood dinner for Christmas Eve. Join us, then, for a five-course dinner featuring the freshest seafood from around the globe. To lighten your holiday mood, we’ll open the dinner with a bit of Italian “bubbly,” followed by a series of exquisite wines. And for dessert? Don’t worry. We’ll stray just a bit from the seafood theme here!"
Menu details, etc. are at:
http://www.va-p.com/events-details.asp?ID=212
Va Pensiero
1566 Oak, Evanston
847/475-7779"Life is a combination of magic and pasta." -- Federico Fellini
"You're not going to like it in Chicago. The wind comes howling in from the lake. And there's practically no opera season at all--and the Lord only knows whether they've ever heard of lobster Newburg." --Charles Foster Kane, Citizen Kane.
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Post #3 - December 2nd, 2011, 3:35 pmI was thinking of cooking a "seven fishes" thing for Christmas Eve this year-
does anyone have any great traditional recipes to share?"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home."
~James Michener
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Post #4 - December 2nd, 2011, 4:06 pmI don't know anything about this holiday fish dinner, but I know Mike (Coop Hot Sauce) and Ann (Crumb Bread) and have been to other events of theirs:
http://www.darkroombar.com/?page_id=4?e ... 12&yr=2011Think Yiddish, Dress British - Advice of Evil Ronnie to me.
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Post #5 - December 2nd, 2011, 4:16 pmirisarbor wrote:I was thinking of cooking a "seven fishes" thing for Christmas Eve this year-
does anyone have any great traditional recipes to share?
My wife's family does it every year, although they're generally short a fish or two. Her sister does fried shrimp and (fried or grilled) calamari. We, or should I say "I", bring the bacala and fettucine with smoked salmon. There's never been a recipe for the bacala, but there are probably thousands online (and no 2 alike). I sweat onions, garlic and celery, add lots of canned tomatoes (San Marzanos from Costco) and then add cubed potatoes, chunks of cod (salt if I can get it), black olives and capers - let it cook down for 2-3 hours (fish actually goes in in last hour). Spicing is trickier because I add basil, pepper and red pepper flakes and then kind of improvise as it cooks together (sometimes I'll add wine vinegar if I need to balance acidity). Also, my wife kibitzes a lot and I'm sure she throws things in when I'm not around.
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Post #6 - December 2nd, 2011, 4:39 pmThe Publican is having a Feast of the Seven Fishes event on Sunday, December 18. 5 courses for $55, optional beer pairing for an additional $15.
Here is a link to the proposed menu:
http://timeoutchicago.com/restaurants-b ... ven-fishes
The Publican
845 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL
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Post #7 - December 2nd, 2011, 6:11 pmirisarbor wrote:I was thinking of cooking a "seven fishes" thing for Christmas Eve this year-
does anyone have any great traditional recipes to share?
My Mom lives in a very Italian part of NJ. (OK, maybe that's redundant.) I've seen the mobs at the seafood counters there on Dec. 24...crazy. One of her Italian friends has had us over to dinner several times on Xmas Eve and her menu seems to vary from year to year. A very small sample size, but I think it really does vary from family to family.
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Post #8 - December 5th, 2011, 7:41 amOh how vividly I remember this post making me hungry! A search in Shopping & Cooking for Christmas with author Antonius turned this up, and many other great posts detailing his Christmas Eve dishes.
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Post #10 - December 14th, 2015, 4:49 pmThis is so on my mind- I would love to do this at home with maybe 2 other couples as an arranged potluck thing-
any interest?
I did also see that
Nico Osteria on Rush are also doing this on Xmas eve and it sounds amazing- (for $125 per)
http://s3.amazonaws.com/www-nicoosteria ... 15_web.pdf"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home."
~James Michener
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Post #11 - December 14th, 2015, 5:09 pmirisarbor wrote:This is so on my mind- I would love to do this at home with maybe 2 other couples as an arranged potluck thing-
any interest?
I did also see that
Nico Osteria on Rush are also doing this on Xmas eve and it sounds amazing- (for $125 per)
http://s3.amazonaws.com/www-nicoosteria ... 15_web.pdf
If you will accept two people who are not otherwise coupled, I would be very interested. I know singlets are not always welcome in the world of couples.
Regards,Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast
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Post #12 - December 14th, 2015, 5:11 pmLOL- of course- I didn't necessarily mean it in the literal sense-
just that I don't want to do a house full
E"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home."
~James Michener
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