The Feast of Seven Fishes. All this time I thought it was a time-honored tradition in Italy. Of course, in Catholicism, meat is foregone on the vigil of Christmas, thus the appearance of fish on the Christmas Eve table in Italy. Wikipedia tells us, though, that the “feast” is actually an Italian-American tradition, and seems to have appeared in the United States in the 1980s. Go figure.
Regardless, the Feast of Seven Fishes won’t be happening in our house this year. We have a houseguest — my best friend Michael from 5th grade — who vehemently dislikes (he would admit “despises”) fish and seafood. However, he will eat a Mrs. Paul’s fish cake. I won’t.
So Mark and I are sneaking in fish or seafood dishes here and there when Michael is out for the evening. You should see his face when comes in the house after dinner, sniffs, scowls, and — with an accusatory sneer — asks, “Fish?” Busted.
Today’s recipe is often served as one of the seven fishes in the Feast. We made it in Venice back in 2013, again when in Spain in September, and I plan to make it once more tonight on Christmas Eve (Michael will be away). Variations of this salad are traditional in Italy and can be found in several regions on the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts.
Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate, and a happy, healthy, and flavor-filled New Year to everyone!
~ David
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Chef Mimi
December 24, 2022 at 6:10 amOh this is beautiful. Mostly because I love lobster so much. But all of the other ingredients work so well with it. I have to cook my fish when my husband is gone, too, but there’s always that lingering smell…. I have make salmon and Brussels sprouts, so it’s a double punch in the face for him! I remember reading in National Geographic a million years ago that the Italians somewhere along the coast ate white baby eels raw. I’ve since never seen anything about these little eels, but it had something to do with a holiday. Here’s hoping you have the most fabulous of holidays!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:48 amI remember seeing live, tiny, translucent fish (eels?) that were popular in the fall in Sicily — maybe those are the ones! Happy Christmas to you, Mimi! I’m sure the food was fabulous!
Mad Dog
December 24, 2022 at 7:10 amHilarious! I’d definitely make and eat that salad – I love octopus!
Merry Christmas.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:47 amMerry Christmas, Mad Dog! We enjoyed a lot of good octopus in Spain.
Ron
December 24, 2022 at 11:30 amMerry Christmas David or should i say God Jul,
I hope you and Mark have a lovely Christmas.
Now, for your salad, two please!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:46 amGod Jul to you and Eva — I would love to share this salad with you both!
Carolyne
December 24, 2022 at 1:35 pmMerry Christmas! That salad looks like Italy in the summer.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:45 amIt tastes like it, too, Carolyne!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
December 24, 2022 at 2:24 pmI rebelled against cooking the feast of seven fishes again after having live ells in the vegetable crisper of my refrigerator. I wouldn’t mind having pre-cooked octopus in the fridge though to make your salad. Merry Christmas to you both.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:45 amHah! No love eels in my fridge, either! Marry Christmas to you, Karen — and know that I read every post even if I cannot comment! (I thought the comment issues would stop once I got on WordPress… )
Eha
December 24, 2022 at 3:06 pmAs we ‘get to’ Christmas Day way before anyone else I am reading and writing this on a sunny and pretty hot Christmas morning wishing I had a plate of your beautiful salad in front of me ! Pasta, calamari and a rather non-descript chardonnay will have to please a wee bit later . . . Love your ‘fishy story’ . . . and remember Chicago John teaching this ignorant child about the Feast of the Seven Fishes . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:44 amI don’t remember that episode with John — but I can envision it! Merry Christmas, Eha! We had a nice warm Christmas, too — though not as warm as yours!
sherry
December 24, 2022 at 5:06 pmi like the idea of the pre-cooked octopus! I loooove fish and seafood. what a heathen your friend is :=) Just kidding … merry Christmas to you and yours.
sherry xx
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:42 amHeathen may not be the right word, but I have a cache of others! Merry Christmas to you and Mr. P!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
December 25, 2022 at 8:37 amOne of my favorite salads whether at Christmas or any time. Merry Christmas, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:41 amSame here, my friend — we love it all the time! Merry Christmas to you both, too.
Ronit
December 25, 2022 at 11:42 amThe salad looks fabulous! Love seafood with lemon any time of the year.
I can’t recall seeing WF pre-cooked octopus, I will definitely look for it soon! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 8:41 amThanks, Ronit — I found it in the frozen seafood case. Very tasty and quite tender.
Jeff the Chef
December 26, 2022 at 2:46 pmI love that you have a friend from 5th grade! Interesting about the seven fishes being an Italian-American tradition. Who knew? Merry Christmas!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 26, 2022 at 2:58 pmIt’s a lot of years, Jeff — we just passed 55th anniversary…. It boggles my mind. Yeah, I was really surprised about the feast of the seven fishes. Hope you both had a Merry Christmas — and all the best for 2023!
Eha
December 26, 2022 at 8:59 pm*smile* Perhaps you ‘arrived’ later or were busy Christmas-month when John always did ‘fishy’ recipes in honour of the Feast and stories thereof . . . I just had a quick ‘trip ‘ back 2013 to 2017 or so . . . . gorgeous recipes . . . have a look . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
December 28, 2022 at 11:21 amI only knew Joh for a little while when he was blogging – perhaps I did miss a few good ones!
Valentina
December 29, 2022 at 2:32 pmI don’t often see potatoes mixed with seafood and I really love the combination. This is beautiful. 🙂 ~Valentina
P.S. So cool to still have a best friend from elementary school!!
2pots2cook
January 4, 2023 at 1:58 amThe best! Beautiful salad for Christmas Eve and every other day, I would say!
Thank you for the best best wishes! I wish you both to have healthy and successful 2023.!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 4, 2023 at 8:13 amI very much agree! I could eat the salad any day!
The-FoodTrotter
January 9, 2023 at 10:25 amWhat an elegant, beautiful and sophisticated salad, I can feel I’m having a wonderful lunch in a local osterria in a narrow street in Venice, Napoli or Palermo… I hope you had a charming holiday season 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
January 13, 2023 at 7:46 amEating it again at Christmastime took us right back to Italy. We spent the whole meal reminiscing about our trips over time.
Inger
February 2, 2023 at 6:31 amI had not idea the Feast of Seven Fishes was so recent and Italian American. It always seemed like a way I’d need to celebrate some year!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 6, 2023 at 8:13 amObviously, I didn’t either – I thought it was a long-standing Italian tradition. At least fish on Christmas Eve is a tradition!