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Feast of Seven Fishes Recipes For Christmas Eve

By 
December 22, 2015
5 mins read

If you are hoping to host a traditional Christmas Eve dinner, you may find yourself whisked into a confused chef’s corner. How does one cook a meatless menu in winter, when the finding fresh seafood is tricky and expensive.  Lucky for us, we live on an Island and have the luxury of obtaining specific shellfish and hardy white fish at market for reasonable prices. Smithtown Today spent the better half the weekend collecting recipes from our readers and some top rated ideas online which we then tested, tasted and tempted friends and family with before they made the cut. So if you are drawing a blank grocery list with a few days left, we’ve put together all the Feast of Seven Fishes recipes you could wish for to prepare a traditionally rustic Christmas Eve Dinner for your loved ones and special guests!

Avocado Crab Crostini – Recipe by How Sweet Eats

crostiniIngredients
  • 1 pound of lump crab meat
  • 1 avocado, pitted and chopped
  • 1 cup of grape tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 4 slices of bacon*, fried and crumbled (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • juice of one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 french baguette

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a small bowl. Slice the baguette into rounds about 3/4 inch thick. Brush each round with olive oil and lay on a baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until baguette rounds are toasty and golden in color. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine crabmeat, tomatoes, bacon*, avocado, tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir with a large spoon until the mixture is combined. Add in lemon juice and remaining olive oil, and continue to mix. The mixture will be somewhat “loose,” but as it sits the avocado will break down a bit and cause a more creamy texture.

Serve in a large bowl with multiple spoons and a plate of the baguette rounds.

Calamari, Fennel and Arugula Salad  – Recipe From Our Reader: Josie Catella

calamariIngredients:
  • 1 LB calamari cleaned and sliced
  • 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (no stalks or leaf)
  • 6 OZ of arugula leaves, cleaned
  • 1 TBLS extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 TSP salt
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 OZ of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, Shaved

For the Vinaigrette

  • 2 ½-3 OZ of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 TBSP of Lemon juice
  • 1 TBSP Red-wine vinegar
  • 1 Red Onion,thinly sliced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk Olive Oil, lemon juice, Red Wine vinegar, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper together until combined.  Stir in the red onion and set aside.

In a Medium sized Bowl, add the fennel bulb, drizzling half of the vinaigrette over the fennel,gently folding to properly marinate. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, the crushed garlic and red pepper to a skillet and heat on medium high until the garlic starts to make your mouth water. Add the pieces of Calamari to the skillet and saute for two to three minutes or until the squid begins to puff and curl. Add a teaspoon of salt over the calamari and remove from heat. Use a perforated spoon to remove calamari from the skillet and fold into the fennel mixture.

Plate the arugula as a bed first. Layer the fennel and calamari over the Arugula. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette just before serving. Use a vegetable peeler to shave large shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese over the Salad. Serve warm or at room temperature. Tip: Garnish with fresh parsley for some extra color.

Crab croquettes: Recipe by MyRecipes.com

crabcroquetteIngredients
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 ounces shelled cooked crab
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs), divided
  • About 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • Hot sauce

Sauté onions in butter in a medium frying pan over high heat until softened, 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Add mustard, garlic powder, salt, crab, 1 egg, and 1/4 cup panko and stir until blended.

Form mixture into 8 balls and set them on an oiled baking sheet. Whisk remaining egg with 2 tbsp. water on a small plate. Put remaining 1/2 cup panko on another plate. Dip balls in egg, then roll in panko.

Meanwhile, pour oil into a medium pot, insert a deep-fry thermometer, and heat over high heat to 350°. Cook 3 or 4 balls in oil at a time, turning often, until medium brown, 4 minutes. Transfer croquettes to paper towels. Serve with hot sauce.

Crockpot Seafood Stew – Recipe By the Crock Pot Gourmet

Ingredients
  • CrockpotSeafood-Stew1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2-3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 pound dutch baby potatoes or other white/yellow baby potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1/2  medium onion, diced (about ½ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • 1/2  teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 2 pounds seafood (recipe recommends scallops, shrimp and any hearty white fish such as Cod or Halibut)

Add all ingredients except seafood to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 until potatoes cooked through. Add thawed seafood to slow cooker and return to high heat. Cook for 30-60 minutes until seafood is fully cooked through. Serve with warm crusty bread or as desired

Tip:  Before adding seafood, heat skillet over medium high heat and melt 2-3 tablespoons butter. Add scallops and shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side to brown. Add to slow cooker with seafood and cook as directed.

Pan Seared Scallops over Winter Risotto – Recipe by Reader Chris Tangles

scallopsIngredients

For the Risotto:

  • 2-3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 medium Spanish Onion,
  • thinly diced
  • 2 cups Arborio Rice
  • 1 cup of Corn Kernels (if using canned corn, please drain)
  • 1 tsp tarragon Leaves
  • 6-8 cups of Vegetable
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)

For the Scallops:

  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
  • 1 pound jumbo scallops

For the Risotto: Over Medium-high heat, Coat the bottom of a saucepan with the Olive Oil. Add the onion and stir, until it begins to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the corn kernels to the saucepan stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes,  until they become softer and release a heavenly aroma. Add the tarragon and allow to cook a minute longer. Coat the rice in the saucepan and stir continuously, until the edges of the rice are clear.  Add a half cup of heated Vegetable stock and let Simmer on medium heat  stirring constantly, until the stock has been absorbed, about 1 minute.  Repeat this step continuously until the remaining half cup has been absorbed, OR the risotto is al dente (chewy and soft, without being mushy).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Optional: Add grated cheese here, if desired. Mix together and cover the saucepan with a lid for 5 minutes before plating.

For the Seared Scallops: Heat oil in nonstick skillet. Pat the scallops as dry as possible and season with salt.Coat a nonstick skillet, with grapeseed oil and heat on high. Sprinkle a drop of water in the skillet to test the heat. If the skillet is ready the water will sizzle immediately. Add the scallops to the pan, shaking gently to prevent them from sticking. Flip each scallop over after 2 minutes or until golden brown on the outside. Repeat for the opposite side of the scallop. Line a plate with paper towels to collect excess oils.

Plate the risotto first, to serve as a bed for the scallops. Add three scallops to each serving and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and Parmesan Shavings.