12/18/2006
Seven-fish feast an Italian ritual
Several varieties in one dish or several dishes
on one table
By MICHELE KAYAL
For The Associated Press
The Associated Press
It's an old Italian tradition to observe Christmas Eve with a seafood feast.
The first time Italian transplant Stefano Frigerio prepared the Feast of the Seven Fishes for his wife's family, his American father-in-law opted for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
"I found out at dinnertime, with my seven fishes laid down on the table, that no one eats fish,” said Frigerio, who married into a Front Royal, Va., family two years ago. "My father-in-law looked at me and said, 'The only thing I eat that swims is catfish, deep fried.'”
Frigerio, on the other hand, grew up eating pretty much anything that swims. At least on Christmas Eve, when Italy's Roman Catholics — and now many Italians and Italian-Americans in general — celebrate with a feast of fish that probably dates to the fifth or sixth century.
The celebration is rooted in the Catholic tradition of eschewing meat on various days of the year. What's less clear is when or why the number of courses was set at seven.
Some scholars and cooks say it is for the seven sacraments. Or for the seven sins. Or virtues. Perhaps for the seven days of the creation story. Or for Mary and Joseph's seven-day journey to Bethlehem.
"All of these types of holidays tend to have a lot of bad folklore around them,” said dining historian Carolin Young. "Five different towns will claim they created it.”
Eel is a mainstay of the meal for Romans, and the traditional salted cod known as baccala is widely eaten as part of the meal. But that's where predictability ends. Anything from humble smelts and sardines to lobster and caviar might make an appearance.
Adding to the confusion, seven is sometimes just a starting point. Many families cook nine fish (the Holy Trinity times three), 11 (the 12 Apostles minus Judas), or 13 (the Apostles plus Jesus). Others simply stop counting once they hit seven.
"They just use it as an excuse to have more fish or less fish,” said Frigerio, who makes at least seven (but never 13).
Families with smaller appetites often try to include several fish in a single dish.
Valentino Ciullo of Grand Rapids, Mich. is rigid about having exactly seven fish. For him, they represent the sacraments. But his feast is smaller and more elegant than those of his childhood, where the table groaned from kitchen to parlor with eel, baccala and calamari.
The repast for his wife and in-laws changes each year, and might include lobster bisque or roasted grouper, all chronicled on printed menus that describe each dish and the wines paired with them.
"We save the menus,” he said. "They go back to ... 'Remember when we had this, when we had that?' It makes it a little more exciting.”
The following recipes are courtesy of Carmelo D'Aprile, executive chef of Grappolo Locanda restaurant in Chappaqua, N.Y., to use as part of a Christmas Eve seafood feast.
Sea Bass with Caper Sauce
- 1 T. unsalted butter
- 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 T. capers, rinsed
- 1/4 c. white wine (any variety)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Four 8-oz. sea bass fillets
- Salt, to taste
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bulbs fresh fennel, very thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 425°.
In a small skillet over medium heat, combine the butter and olive oil. Heat until the butter has melted. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about one minute.
Add the capers and white wine, then cook for one minute. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in lemon juice and season lightly with pepper. Set aside.
Cut four large rectangles of parchment paper or aluminum foil, about 16-by-12 inches.
Lay one fillet in the center of each rectangle. Sprinkle each fillet lightly with salt, then top with a quarter of the garlic-caper sauce. Scatter basil and thyme over the fillets, then top with a quarter of the fennel.
Wrap each fillet by bringing together the long edges and folding them over several times to seal, repeating with the sides. Transfer the parcels to a baking dish and bake until thefish is opaque throughout, 10 to 15 minutes. Can be served in the parchment paper. Makes four servings.
Scallops with Peppercorn and Moscato Sauce
- 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 jumbo scallops
- 2 T. pink peppercorns
- 1 c. Moscato wine
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the scallops and sear for two minutes on each side, or until golden. Add the peppercorns and cook another 30 seconds. Add the wine and simmer four minutes. Makes four servings.
Shrimp in Brandy Gorgonzola Sauce
- 2 c. heavy cream
- 1 c. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 16 raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and veins removed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 oz. brandy
In a medium bowl, combine the cream and Gorgonzola. Place the bowl over a small saucepan of boiling water and heat until steaming, about 5 minutes, then whisk together the cream and cheese until smooth. Set aside.
Rinse the shrimp under cool water, then pat dry. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the shrimp through it. Shake the shrimp to remove any excess flour.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until just smoking. Place the shrimp in the skillet and cook about two minutes per side. Add the brandy to deglaze the pan, stirring for about 1 minute. Add the cream and cheese mixture and simmer another minute.
Transfer shrimp and sauce to a serving platter or shallow bowl.
Makes four servings.
Linguine with Sea Bass, Shrimp and Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 lb. fresh or dry linguine
- 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, quartered
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 oz. fresh sea bass or striped bass, diced
- 1/2 lb. rock shrimp
- 1 T. chopped fresh parsley
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan set over a medium heat, combine the olive oil and garlic. Saute until golden, about two minutes. Add the tomatoes, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook five minutes. Add the sea bass and shrimp and cook another five minutes. Drain the pasta and add it and the parsley to the seafood. Stir and simmer one minute. Makes four servings.
Seafood Risotto
- 3 quarts water
- 2 medium yellow onions, one finely chopped, one coarsely chopped
- 1/2 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
- 2 (1 lb.) lobsters
- 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1&1/2 c. arborio rice
- 1 c. dry white wine
- 16 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
- 1/2 lb. rock shrimp, peeled
- 2 T. unsalted butter
- 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup
Fill a very large bowl or pot with water and ice. Set aside.
In a six- to eight-quart saucepan over a high heat, combine the water, the finely chopped onion and carrot. Bring to a boil. Add the lobsters and cook two minutes. Using tongs, remove the lobsters and submerge them in the ice water for one minute. Drain and set aside. Retain the cooking water.
In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, combine the olive oil, tomato paste and remaining onion. Cook until the onion is softened, but not browned, about eight to 10 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until toasted and lightly browned, about two minutes. Add the white wine, then ladle in enough of the lobster cooking water to cover the rice.
Turn the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes. As the water is absorbed add more, one ladle at a time, to maintain the level just above the rice.
Add the mussels and cook another 5 minutes. Set aside.
Remove the lobster meat from the shells, then chop the meat into 1-inch pieces. Add the lobster meat and shrimp to the rice. Cook, stirring often, until the rice is soft, but still firm at the center, about 35 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the butter and parsley.
Makes four servings.
|
