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Menus and Odes

Feast of the Seven Fishes

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Menu

Antipasto
Cold Seafood Salad
Bolihnos de Bacalhau
Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Primo
Fettucine al Langostra
Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Secondo
Bacalhau Gomes de Sá
Tuna (or Swordfish) with Gremolata

Contorni
Sauteed Cavolo Nero

Holidays are about traditions – both making them and breaking them.  Given my wide splay of ethnic background, it tends to be the case that I manage to do both of these things each and every year with a slightly different celebration that meets one of our many traditions.  I feel like this is the way it is with most of us – over time we build up a collection of various customs that are an amalgamation of all of our traditions put together.

This year, we decided to give a shout out to Sicily (both my husband and I are of Sicilian decent) with the Feast of the Seven Fishes.  A custom with origins in Southern Italy, a series of fish dishes (and no meat) are prepared for Christmas Eve.  The number of dishes varies – some say it’s seven for the seven sacraments, or 10 for the commandments.  It’s at the point now where people come up with a number of dishes between 7 and 15 and assign a biblical association for that number.  At the heart of the celebration is a gathering of family and friends for a delicious meal and (hopefully) fine company.

One of the must-haves for the Feast of the Seven Fishes is baccalà or salt cod.  In another cultural twist, our Feast of the Seven Fishes contained two preparations of baccalà in the traditional Brazilian manner (called bacalhau), fried into small balls and baked with garlic, onions, potatoes and hard boiled eggs.  There’s something about the blended traditions that truly makes it a holiday for me.

If you’d like to get on a little fish action yourself and create a new family tradition of your own, here is the road map for our Feast of the Seven Fishes.  Have fun with it, add as many or as few fish as you’d like, and chow down Sicilian style.

Antipasto

Cold Seafood Salad

One of my husbands early memories was of his father making a special seafood salad at Christmastime.  He did a little research and found a close version online, that we adapted to make it like the one he knew as a child. I’m lazy and I don’t like to spend my entire life cleaning seafood, so we purchased the squid pre-cleaned and the octopus pre-cleaned and cooked at Whole Foods (the octopus was in the Seafood Salad area of the store).  The rest of the goodies are poached in a flavorful liquid of herbs and vegetables and then tossed with a light vinaigrette and crisp veggies.  Despite the sheer number of ingredients, this is one of the most beautiful things you can put on your table.

Bolihnos de Bacalhau

These croquettes of salt cod are crispy and light on the outside, and tender and moist on the inside.  Soaking the cod for a goodly while gets rid of the fishiness and elevates the taste of this festive, bite-sized treat.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Growing up so close to the Chesapeake Bay, blue crab is more of a right than a privilege for me, and what seafood feast would be complete without it.  These dainty suckers leverage lump crab for sweetness and claw meat for cost efficiency.  The seasoning is traditional, eastern shore, crab cake style, as yet another shout out to the land of my ancestors.
Recipe for Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Primo

Fettucine al Langostra

Who doesn’t love lobster?  Strangely, my sister doesn’t.  But this incredibly simple and delicious preparation of fettucine with tender lobster meat was gobbled down by her and won her praises.  If that’s not a Christmas miracle, then I don’t know what is. Use good egg fettucine for the pasta and fresh basil to brighten things up.  To save time during the feast (since you are cooking most everything at once), I used a jar of Rao’s Arrabiata sauce, which is delicious, but way too expensive at $9 a jar.  I found a bottle of White Linen Gourmet Marinara at Costco for $4 that actually tasted BETTER than the Rao’s – no joke.  If you go that route, just make sure to add a heavy dose of crushed red pepper for kick.

Linguine alle Vongole

Linguine with white clam sauce, for me, is comfort food at its best – it doesn’t take a hell of a long time to prepare, it’s got a healthy dose of garlic and red pepper for kick, and at the end of the day, who doesn’t want to tuck into a mound of tender pasta. I use my Poorman’s Linguine with Clam Sauce for this one, but add fresh clams to the mix.  Simply heat some olive oil and garlic in a saute pan and when hot, pour in a cup of white wine.  Add a pound of small clams (I use manila clams) and pop a lid on the pan.  Let steam in the wine garlic mix for a short 5 minutes and then scoop out the open clams and put them on top of the pasta.  Discard any clams that haven’t opened after cooking.
Recipe for Linguine alle Vongole

Secondo

Bacalhau Gomes de Sá

Though this dish is Portuguese in origin (Porto to be exact), it’s a favorite among Brazilians as well.  The dish was supposedly created by a wealthy cod distributor’s son, who after being disowned, was forced to work in a restaurant.  His legacy was this dish, a delicious combination of cod, tender potatoes, sautéed garlic and onions, and topped with hard boiled eggs, olives and parsley. This recipe reminds me of whenever my great grandmother would come into town with heaps of bacalhau ready for the cooking.  Upon her arrival, it was a sure thing that Gomes de Sá was going to be prepared shortly thereafter.

Tuna (or Swordfish) with Gremolata

Nothing says majesty like fresh fish with a lovely topping of lemon, garlic and herbs.  Simplicity is the focus, so the freshest of fish is necessary in this one – get sushi grade (or Grade #1) tuna, or the brightest, firmest fillets of whatever you’d like.  While you can spread the fish with the gremolata and then broil them, with the tuna I like to sear them in a pan to control the doneness (I like the steaks rare) and then slather the hot fish with the lemon mixture so that it melts into the fish. Gremolata is traditionally a combination of lemon, parsley and garlic, but here, I add rosemary instead of the parsley as it is hardier and holds up to the many other bold flavors at this feast.
Recipe for Swordfish with Gremolata

Contorno

Sauteed Cavolo Nero

Called black kale or dinosaur kale, this leafy green is a fabulous taste sensation for anyone that loves bitter greens.  Plus, it matches up with the sweetness of the seafood and sauces with outstanding strength.  This recipe comes straight from one of my favorite foodie websites, Chow.com, and utilizes orange juice, garlic and onion to create the most perfectly rounded flavors in this dish.  A major keeper, I didn’t even have to tweak this recipe one bit, which absolutely NEVER happens when I’m in the kitchen. If you have any leftovers, you can fold them into a delicious soup, like a Caldo Verde (Portuguese Sausage and Kale Soup) or a Ribollita (Italian Kale and White Bean Soup with Croutons).
Recipe for Cavolo Nero at Chow.com

Lighten Up, Main Courses, Poultry Dishes, Recipes

Grilled Ginger Lemon Chicken

If you haven’t heard me say this enough, I love my Vo.  She’s such a light and inspires me on a daily basis to laugh at the world and revel in every second.  And on top of her being one of the kindest, most generous souls that I’ve ever met, she cooks like an absolute dream.  Tell me if it gets any better than that, because I couldn’t see how it could.

This recipe is of her invention, and I have to say that when I first heard the ingredients, I couldn’t imagine the taste profile that was ginger and lemon.  Ginger and lime, sure, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the lemon.  Well, upon tasting this chicken for the first time, I was schooled in the greatest of ways.  It was a revelation – bright, spicy, sweet and savory all at once, it immediately became my new favorite way to treat chicken.

Since then, I’ve served this chicken grilled, baked and pan seared.  Works perfectly with each preparation.  When I serve this to friends, I have to make inordinate amounts because it is consumed with such vigor, I run out like it’s nothing.  I’m not surprised, though.  Vo has always been an expert, and has yet to steer me wrong.  All I can say is that when you enjoy this chicken, make it for those in your family (immediate and extended) that inspire you on a daily basis and need a bit of a thank you in culinary form.

Recipe for

Grilled Ginger Lemon Chicken

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut up
juice of 2-3 lemons
2 cl. of garlic
4 in. of ginger root, peeled and minced
4 tbs. of olive oil
1/4 tsp. of black pepper
1/4 tsp. of white pepper
3/4 tsp. of salt

In a food processor, blend all ingredients except for chicken until a smooth paste.  If you don’t have a food processor, chop ginger and garlic finely and whisk with with other ingredients (except for chicken) until a smooth sauce.  Add chicken to a large bowl and pour marinade over chicken.  Let rest for at least an hour and up to overnight.

Heat a grill or grill pan to smoking hot.  Turn down heat to medium low and place chicken on grill, skin-side down.  Cook for 15 minutes until skin is browned and crisped up.  Flip chicken and cook for another 17 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with a fork.  Let rest for 5 minutes to redistribute juices and then serve.

Easy to Prepare, Lighten Up, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes

Asparagus with Gremolata

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The quest for the fall back side has one more contender in the running – this simple preparation of asparagus with a delicious italian condiment of the brightest flavor and texture is an absolute gem.  Even better than how it tastes is the work involved, or should I say lack thereof.  This is probably the simplest and most elegant side that you can put together, and should absolutely become a go-to recipe in your kitchen.

Gremolata is a lovely mixture of finely chopped parley, garlic and lemon.  It is most commonly used as a topping for osso buco (braised veal shanks) and other slow-cooked meat dishes that benefit from a lightening of flavor to round things out.  The key to gremolata is prepping it as you need it and using the freshest ingredients.  A simple toss with some asparagus and olive oil, this gremolata will bring the tender spears to a whole new level.

Gremolata is absolutely versatile – if you’re not a fan of asparagus, try it atop simple roasted string beans or tomatoes.  It also serves as a simple stir-in for minestrone and other savory soups.  Be creative and definitely take advantage of the fact that gremolata will give your one-note dishes a huge kick in the pants.  In a good way.

Recipe for

Asparagus with Gremolata

Ingredients
1 lb. of asparagus, rinsed and trimmed of tough ends
1 cl. of garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon
1 c. of loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/8 tsp. of freshly cracked pepper
2 tbs. of olive oil
kosher salt

Place asparagus in a shallow pan and fill with water to barely cover asparagus.  Heavily salt the water and bring water to a boil.  When the water comes to a boil and the asparagus spears turn a bright green, remove them from the water and place them in a serving dish.

In a small bowl, mix the parsley, lemon zest, pepper, a small pinch of kosher salt and olive oil.  Pour over the hot asparagus spears and toss.  Serve.

Easy to Prepare, Lighten Up, Main Courses, Poultry Dishes, Recipes

Lemon Chicken Shish Kebab

I really love making shish kebab – it’s always praised effusively when made for friends and that pay off comes with very little work.  Buy a bunch of veggies and a little meat, let them hang in some herbs and spices, thread on skewers, grill or broil and call it a day.  This marinade could not be any easier, and best of all, is made with such common pantry staples, you don’t have to do any special shopping ahead of time to get this one on the table.

The best part is that you can absolutely do what you like when making this – if you prefer red meat to chicken, substitute cubes of beef tenderloin or tender lamb.   Like seafood better?  Try this recipe with cubes of swordfish threaded on skewers, separated by bay leaves instead of the vegetables.  It makes a hearty, savory alternative to the traditional red meat or chicken.  And of course, you can bypass the meat altogether and just go with the veggies alone.  Use whatever assortment of vegetables that look the best in the grocery, or are on hand in your fridge – eggplant and squash also make excellent additions.  It’s all good!

Serve these gems with a squeeze of lemon and a side of fluffy rice or pita.  No fuss, no muss and people will swoon for the fresh preparation and bright ingredients.  It’s such a winner, you’ve just gotta try it.

Recipe for

Lemon Chicken Shish Kebab

Ingredients
1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tbs. of olive oil
1 tsp. of garlic powder
1/2 tsp. of onion powder
1 tsp. of paprika
1/4 tsp. of black pepper
1/2 tsp. of kosher salt
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cl. of garlic

whole mushrooms (white or crimini)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
cherry tomatoes
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbs. of olive oil
black pepper
1 tsp of salt

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes and place in a tupperware.  On a clean cutting board, loosely chop garlic and then sprinkle the kosher salt on top.  Using the blade of your knife, drag it across the garlic to mash it into the salt, forming a paste.  Add garlic paste to chicken, along with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Stir well and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Remove chicken from fridge and let rest on the counter while you prep the veggies.  Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and place in a bowl.  Add your cherry tomatoes to the bowl.  Cut red and green pepper into 1 inch chunks and add to the mushrooms.  Next, cut onion into 1 inch chunks, making sure to keep the slices of onion together as best you can.  Set aside, separate from the mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes.  In the veggie bowl, add the lemon zest, olive oil, black pepper and salt.  Toss to combine flavors.

Get out some skewers – if you are using bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in water first to prevent them from burning.  Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers, alternating between meat and veggies.  Place skewers on a tray to hang out while you continue to assemble the shish kebab.

Lightly grease a grill or a grill pan with canola oil or Pam for grilling and heat to smoking.  Turn heat down to medium and cook kebabs until veggies are charred and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes per side.  Serve.

Desserts, Ice Cream and Sorbet, Lighten Up, Recipes, Vegetarian Dishes

Berry Lemonade Sorbet

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Nothing says summertime like a tall glass of fresh lemonade – or as the Baroness Shraeder said in The Sound of Music (one of my favorite movies of all time), “something long and cool, Georg?”  This sorbet would have certainly captured their hearts on that gorgeous patio in Austria – pink, boozy and tart, full of just enough zest and sweetness to keep everyone happy.  And yes, my dream job would have been to cater for the von Trapp family – those singing, dancing, curtain-wearing charmers have had my heart for a while now.

I make this treat in an ice cream maker so as to give it lightness and creaminess, but if you’d like to enjoy it in a little more icy format (or if you don’t have an ice cream maker), you can absolutely make it as a granita.  Once the base is made, rather than pour it into the ice cream maker, pour the liquid into a 13×9 baking pan.  Place in the freezer and on 20 minute intervals, scrape up the ice crystals that form with a spoon.  Keep on doing this until the entire mixture is icy and a gorgeous garnet color.  Transfer to a plastic quart container until ready to serve.

The optional shot of Absolut Açai, an Amazon superfruit that is the new feature flavor of Absolut’s vodka line, is there to enhance the rich, wild flavor of the blueberries.  It’s absolutely optional, but a lovely addition.  The berries should be whatever is cheap and good looking at the grocer or farmer’s market.  Mix and match to your hearts content – this one is an absolute celebration of the season, and you can’t very well celebrate without the loveliest of fresh ingredients.

Recipe for

Berry Lemonade Sorbet

Ingredients
2 pts. of fresh berries (I like 1 pt. each of blackberries and blueberries)
1 c. of sugar
1/2 c. of water
zest of 1 lemon
juice and pulp of 3 lemons
1 tbs. of Absolut Açai vodka (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring the 1 c. of sugar and 1/2 c. of water to a boil.  Stir to make sure that all the sugar has dissolved and then strain into a tupperware.  Chill in the fridge.

To a blender, add the sugar/water mixture, the lemon zest, lemon juice, vodka and 2 pints of mixed berries.  Blend until smooth.  Strain mixture into a bowl, pressing on the solids to get all of the pulp through and leaving just the coarse bits and the seeds.  Cool mixture and then pour into an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Remove sorbet to a plastic container and freeze until solid.  Serve to your most creative of friends – like maybe the family of exceptional singers from Austria?

Easy to Prepare, Lighten Up, Main Courses, Recipes, Seafood Dishes

Rosemary Lemon Swordfish

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Fish gets a bad rap – no matter what anyone tells you, it’s not hard to cook.  In fact, it takes such a short time to cook, all that you need to do to cook it well is to untrain your brain into its natural inclination to overcook meat.  Give it only a little time, only a little seasoning and it is perfection.  I love swordfish because it’s forgiving, takes seasoning well, and comes out deliciously restaurant-worthy without any fuss.  Not to mention that it’s meaty – a manly fish meant to be tucked into like a steak.

Rosemary Lemon Swordfish © Spice or Die

This barely qualifies as a recipe below in terms of ingredients – all the work is in the technique.  Basically, you are forming a paste out of the lemon zest and garlic that is then slathered onto the swordfish.  If you haven’t invested in a microplane yet (and you really should), you will need to use the finest setting on a box grater for the lemon zest.  As for the garlic, you will need to mash it with some kosher salt until it forms a paste – not hard, but so much easier if you pick up a microplane. Continue reading Rosemary Lemon Swordfish →

Beverages and Cocktails, Easy to Prepare, Recipes

Basil Lemonade

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Can I Give Your Lemons a Squeeze

I think my first memory of perfect lemonade was from when I was a kid (I had to have been 7 or 8) at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and in an effort to stave off the DC summer heat, tried a hand-shaken lemonade for the first time.  There’s something about freshly squeezed lemon juice that can’t ever be duplicated with concentrate – after that first taste, I was sold.  Lemon, sugar, water – that was it.

My francophile mom eventually turned me on to the art of the citron pressé – the French imbibe the same drink in cafés as a DIY drink.  You get a glass of ice with the juice of a lemon, a small pitcher of water, and a dish of sugar.  Depending upon how tart or sweet you’d like your drink, you add the sugar and water to your liking.  As my sister would say, “sassy and classy!”  Ok, maybe just sassy in this case. Continue reading Basil Lemonade →

Recipes, Salads, Sauces and Condiments

French Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette

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An Ode to Waking Your Ass Up

If ever you feel like it’s a “boo-hoo eat salad at home like a dieting loser” kind of night, I strongly advise you to make this dressing.  The recipe originally came from my mom – a bold mixture of lemon, garlic and olive oil packing a serious punch on whatever greens she dressed them with.  It woke your ass up. Continue reading French Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette →