Feast of the Seven Fishes - Seafood lovers.

SafariGalNYC
SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
in Recipes
Off to Rome for the holidays for the in laws..

Any special recipes or must haves for the Feast of the Seven Fishes? (Festa dei sette Pesci)

Or seafood appreciation in general? It’s a seafood feast for us every week.. it’s my fav.

💫 Would love to know if anyone has a great eel recipe. This guy is coming home ..

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Replies

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    I used this website for some fish recipes. I do the crusted baked cod in the air fryer regularly.

    Have a great time and have a cacio e pepe for me.

    https://stefangourmet.com/2023/12/23/cod-with-macadamia-lemon-and-broccolini/
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    I used this website for some fish recipes. I do the crusted baked cod in the air fryer regularly.

    Have a great time and have a cacio e pepe for me.

    https://stefangourmet.com/2023/12/23/cod-with-macadamia-lemon-and-broccolini/

    @acpgee —- you had me at macadamia! Cacio e Pepe if is! 😉
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    I have only ever had eel smoked which is a delicacy in the Netherlands where my in-laws are from. I love it. According to my Danish step dad, smoked eel is a delicacy in Scandinavia too. My hubby won’t eat it anymore as it is close to being on the endangered list.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    Here is my dependable Chinese contact fried fish dish my mom taught me. Mom would have poached a whole carp. I have used the method for everything from whole salmon trouts to tilapia fillets. If cooking whole fish, poach in acidulated water until done. If using fillets, just microwave.

    For 4 people finely julienne a piece of ginger the size of a man’s thumb. Slice finely against the grain first before julienning or throwing into the food processor to chop to prevent hairy hrad to chew masses. Finely dice green onion diagonally into the shape known as horse ears. This can be done in advance a few hours and set aside in a deep bowl with the ginger on the bottom to oxidation.

    When you are ready to eat cook the fish until done in the microwave or by poaching or steaming. Spread the ginger and green onion over the fish in a serving dish with a lip. Season with a few large glugs of soy sauce, some Chinese rice wine, saki or dry sherry, a good pinch of sugar, a squeeze of lemon or a glug of vinegar and bring to the table.

    In the meantime heat a quarter cup of vegetable oil as hot as you dare, near smoking point. Use your eyes and nose. You can smell an oily smoky smell and the air above the saucepan starts to shiver. Pour hot oil over the fish and herbs to blend the flavours. There will be dramatic sizzling
    noises.

    This is both easy and impressive enough for a dinner party. It won’t show if you accidentally break the fish. Seasoning mixture on the herbs is to taste but my mom says it should be salty, acidic, slightly sweet and alcoholic.
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    @acpgee — amazing!!!! Thank you!!! Love your recipes!

    Had no idea about Eel being endangered in Scandinavia .. I’ll have to look up US and Italy. Hmm 🤔

    I’m just getting started with eel cooking… it’s so tasty though on sushi 😋

  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    Morning fresh anchovy haul from Scalia, Sicily..

    Not salty at all…all the anchovies of my childhood were salty as heck. *pucker face* I only really tasted fresh anchovies as an adult.

    Wanted to see how a frittata would taste with anchovies.

    Pretty good!!!

    I’m sure @snowflake954 would have some great Italian seafood dishes.

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  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    Here’s the Italian crusted cod recipe I often use. I do them in the air fryer rather than the oven. As suggested I do vary the flavour mixture for the crust according to whatever I have on hand. Good way to use up a few olives or anchovies languishing in the fridge.

    https://stefangourmet.com/2022/01/30/merluzzo-alla-palermitana/
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    I’m learning a lot about snapper varieties . Take a peek at these beautiful colors on this guy!

    It’s a Yellowtail Snapper from the Florida Keys. 😋 it looks like a green stripe..but in person it’s a bit more “yellow” hence the name.

    Chartreuse Snapper?

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  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    @acpgee - I’m getting my herring ready for New Years Eve! Thought of you and hubby. 😉 Does he also have herring on NYE? I always blame it on my Dutch roots.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    My Dutch husband has never heard of a tradition of serving herring on NYE but he is not from a coastal town where they fish for herring. He says there is a lot of rip and roar in villages that fish for herring on "Vlaggetjes Dag" when boats are allowed to bring in a new catch of herring 22 June. The season for fishing is regulated so as to not interfere with the breeding season, so a large part of the year only the old catch preserved in brine is sold.

    Do you manage to get proper Dutch brined herring in NYC, or do you have to make to do with German pickled herring? Since moving to London we find that the Polish herring that is salted and and stored in oil is closer to Dutch brined herring than the German stuff. Not close enough to eat plain or in a sandwich but a close enough to substitute in a Dutch herring salad with beets, potato, gherkins, apple and onion.

    We can buy Dutch brined herring in London by mail order at exorbitant prices, a factor 10 of what it costs in Amsterdam.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,072 Member
    Will be trying smelts in the air fryer for the first time on NYE.
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    edited January 1
    acpgee wrote: »
    My Dutch husband has never heard of a tradition of serving herring on NYE but he is not from a coastal town where they fish for herring. He says there is a lot of rip and roar in villages that fish for herring on "Vlaggetjes Dag" when boats are allowed to bring in a new catch of herring 22 June. The season for fishing is regulated so as to not interfere with the breeding season, so a large part of the year only the old catch preserved in brine is sold.

    Do you manage to get proper Dutch brined herring in NYC, or do you have to make to do with German pickled herring? Since moving to London we find that the Polish herring that is salted and and stored in oil is closer to Dutch brined herring than the German stuff. Not close enough to eat plain or in a sandwich but a close enough to substitute in a Dutch herring salad with beets, potato, gherkins, apple and onion.

    We can buy Dutch brined herring in London by mail order at exorbitant prices, a factor 10 of what it costs in Amsterdam.

    I’ve found Dutch brined matjes, German pickled loggermatjes and schmaltz herring. Also saw spiced herring which I have not tried!

    I notice a lot of the jarred has a lot of sugar while the kind I get from the fish market cut at the counter is typically less sugar. None of it comes close to the freshness I’ve had in northern Netherlands at street vendors.. like butter! There is 1 store that I know of here that gets Hollandse Nieuwe when it’s caught. That goes fast. (I’m not a rollmops fan..)

    When we are in the Netherlands.. I always hunt for the herring street vendors.

    I’d love to see the boats coming in on on "Vlaggetjes Dag“ !

    I bought brined matjes tidbits this year for New Years.

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  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    edited January 1
    MsCzar wrote: »
    Will be trying smelts in the air fryer for the first time on NYE.

    That sounds delish! Share a pic if you remember!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    R
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    Regarding smelts I ate an amazing dish in Isa on vacation last week. They were tiny fish similar to smelts deep fried with no batter but maybe dusted with a little corn flour. They were served with whole cloves of unpeeled garlic cooked the same way. Ratio of fish to garlic
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    Arg.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    Sorry phone keeps hitting accidental reply. Fish to garlic ratio was 1:1. Served with a spicy dipping sauce. I want to try doing this.
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  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    🌟 The Feast of the Seven Fishes is upon us!

    Anyone else celebrate? 🎊 Also a place for holiday seafood appreciation. 😊

    Will be posting a pic later! Happy holidays all!
    🎄🐟 🪵🪔🤶 🕎 💫
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,264 Member
    We don't actually celebrate it as such but seafood has been a family tradition on Christmas Eve which is basically a catholic thing rooted in the practice of abstaining from meat on the eve of certain holy days. Anyway, tonight is:

    Fresh Oysters with a few different condiments
    Grilled yellowfin tuna in Asian flavors
    clams casino under the broiler
    shrimp diavolo, lots of chili's, tomato and garlic
    Steamed king crab with drawn garlic butter
    Fresh tagliatelle pasta with clams and white wine.

    We normally put out a couple of plates for people that aren't real seafood fans and tonight is a beef tartar, sushi, and some siu mai and there will be 6 people, and lots of help, lol.
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    neanderthin wrote: »
    We don't actually celebrate it as such but seafood has been a family tradition on Christmas Eve which is basically a catholic thing rooted in the practice of abstaining from meat on the eve of certain holy days. Anyway, tonight is:

    Fresh Oysters with a few different condiments
    Grilled yellowfin tuna in Asian flavors
    clams casino under the broiler
    shrimp diavolo, lots of chili's, tomato and garlic
    Steamed king crab with drawn garlic butter
    Fresh tagliatelle pasta with clams and white wine.

    We normally put out a couple of plates for people that aren't real seafood fans and tonight is a beef tartar, sushi, and some siu mai and there will be 6 people, and lots of help, lol.

    @neanderthin sounds lovely!!! I never celebrated the feast of the seven fishes before having in laws in Italy. Fascinating origins.

    I hope those oysters are amazing! 🦪
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    I bought some food rings originally for plating up salmon and tuna tartare but I have been making dutch herring salad with the rings too. One layer of chopped beet and apples, followed by egg and potato salad with mayo, and finally brined herring with chopped onion and pepper on top. A garnish of storebought relish to replace the gherkins that are normally in haring salade. The dutch hubby is of the opinion that separatig the different ingredients into layers actually tastes better than the traditional dish. If you want food rings but consider it a faff to buy them, just save your tuna tins after using the can opener on both ends and used a flat bottomed glass to push down on the food as you unmold.
    amo0kuc181an.jpeg
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,579 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    I bought some food rings originally for plating up salmon and tuna tartare but I have been making dutch herring salad with the rings too. One layer of chopped beet and apples, followed by egg and potato salad with mayo, and finally brined herring with chopped onion and pepper on top. A garnish of storebought relish to replace the gherkins that are normally in haring salade. The dutch hubby is of the opinion that separatig the different ingredients into layers actually tastes better than the traditional dish. If you want food rings but consider it a faff to buy them, just save your tuna tins after using the can opener on both ends and used a flat bottomed glass to push down on the food as you unmold.
    amo0kuc181an.jpeg

    🤩 @acpgee - herring! 🩵 love the mold idea. I’m going to try this!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,000 Member
    The molding rings give a fancy pants impression with no extra effort, if you don't count extra dishes to wash. Here is a salmon tartare example. Layers were chopped beet mixed with a little pomegranate molasses, chopped avocado mixed with kewpie mayo, salted chopped salmon and onion. I think I served ponzu sauce with that. A great crunchy scooping tool is poppadums microwaved for a minute. They are sold for frying at home but crisp up beautifully in the microwaved dry.
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