Just Cook It! — Fish in true Italian fashion
My family is very Italian. When I say that, I don’t simply mean that my last name ends with a vowel and I have relatives who came to America from the motherland. While the previous statement remains true, my family (much like other Italian American families) has continued the strong traditions that make Italian Americans proud to be Italian Americans.
For instance, what most Americans would consider a once a year family reunion, we consider a once a week (at the minimum) Sunday dinner at my grandfather’s house. What we consider our once a year family reunion would probably be considered a wine drinking town meeting by many Americans.
At this point, my family is all technically American — but Americans who are proud to know and celebrate where their ancestors and relatives came from.
This time of year in particular, it is really good to be Italian and have the solid Italian background that I do. Of course, I am referring to the upcoming Christmas Eve celebration and the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
I don’t remember a Christmas Eve when I didn’t eat a staggering amount of fish and seafood. Being Italian, that’s just what you do. You eat seafood, drink wine and then go to Midnight Mass happy with a full belly. That’s the way it’s always been for me, and, if I can help it, that’s the way it’ll always be.
Now, I’m not completely sure that we have seven different fish during Christmas Eve dinner, but I know we do enjoy a lot of different fish. The menu for us usually changes from year to year and includes a few staple dishes such as pasta with anchovies, shrimp cocktail, fried smelts, and, of course, baccal脿 (salted cod).
No one really knows for sure where the “Seven” Fishes actually came from, but many speculate that it is because seven is the most repeated number in the Bible. The number actually appears in the Bible more than 700 times. Some people also believe that the number seven refers to the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church.
Some families celebrate Christmas Eve with 10 different fish dishes to refer to the Stations of the Cross. While some celebrate with 13 seafood dishes to refer to the 12 apostles plus Jesus.
The religious symbolism, no doubt, comes from the fact that most Italians are traditionally Catholic. It is also the reason for fish and seafood. In many parts of Italy, the night of Christmas Eve is traditionally a partial fast, which means no meat should be served.
In true Italian fashion, a meal with no meat doesn’t mean it’s not delicious. Course after course of fantastic, and usually simple, seafood dishes have turned into a true feast. Leave it to us Italians to transform a fast into a feast.
From my point of view as a chef, it makes perfect sense to indulge on seafood on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are back to back days of getting together with family and overindulging. If you are going to enjoy the common fare of beef and/or roasted turkey and ham on Christmas Day, it makes all the sense in the world to enjoy seafood the night before. Variety is, after all, the spice of life.
So what do you do if you don’t particularly enjoy seafood? Not to worry, other items are usually served as well for that very reason. Some type of pasta minus seafood is usually prepared and there are always plenty of other vegetable options on the table.
If I personally didn’t enjoy seafood, I would probably just save more room for cookies and dessert. I have always been a glass half full kind of guy, especially when it comes to Christmas cookies.
One dish that I particularly look forward to having every Christmas Eve is one that is traditional to my family’s Christmas Eve celebration and that dish is escargot (or snails). My uncle makes them every year for a few of us who enjoy them, and they are actually really delicious. He stuffs them in their shells with butter, garlic, breadcrumbs, white wine and Parmesan cheese and bakes them. I have cooked and eaten escargot many times in the restaurant world, but it’s just never been the same as it is on Christmas Eve.
Whether you celebrate Christmas Eve with a bounty of seafood, or if you enjoy your own different family traditions, the idea is to celebrate with people you care about. Being Italian and being lucky enough to live close enough to most of my family, I sometimes take for granted that we get to enjoy each others’ company over a meal on a regular basis.
Food and traditions bring people together. At no other time of the year is this more evident than during the holiday trifecta of Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you have a holiday food tradition, celebrate and enjoy it with the people who matter most to you. If you don’t yet have one, there’s no better time than now to start one.
Let’s all get ready for the heart of the holiday season with family, food and fun. Whether you are enjoying seafood or something else delicious this Christmas Eve, remember to always – Just Cook It!
Mario J. Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, author, and the host of Just Cook It on WMBS Radio 590 AM. He can be reached via his website at: www.JustCookIt.net.