Marian Platt

For some reason, I always have served a seafood casserole on Christmas Eve. We saved the big meal - roast turkey, prime ribs, pork crown roast and, once, a goose, for Christmas Day.

Not being Italian, I had no idea that the Feast of the Seven Fishes was traditional in Italy.

Southern Italians around the world celebrate Christmas Eve with this multi-course, seafood-centric meal. The feast springs from the observance of La Vigilia Di Natale - "the vigil" - when Catholics wait for the birth of Christ.

The tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the medieval Catholic tradition of abstinence - in this case, refraining from the consumption of meat or milk products, on Fridays and specific holy days.

The number of seafood dishes varied. Some families celebrated with three, representing the three wise men. In southern Italy and Sicily, seven dishes were prepared, symbolizing everything from the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church to the seven deadly sins.

Whether one is Catholic or not, it is fun to do something different sometimes. My daughter served us the Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve last year, and it was such a delight that I am doing it this year for my other family.

The fish courses usually are served separately, but that need not be done.

I think I shall begin the meal with starters such as pickled herring, smoked oysters and ...

CEVICHE

Cut 1 pound cod into 1-inch chunks and soak 24 hours in a mixture of 1/2 cup salt and 2 cups water.

Pour off brine and soak fillets in distilled white vinegar (to cover) for another 24 hours. Pour off and soak in the following mixture:

2 cups white vinegar, 1 cup water,

1 cup sugar and 3 teaspoons pickling spices that have been boiled together for 30 minutes then cooled. Add

1 cup white port wine. Layer with sliced onions and let stand in refrigerator two weeks.

A nice lobster salad with some grape tomatoes and sliced cucumbers and maybe chunks of avocado with mayonnaise and lemon wedges shall be the first course. Lobster? Not in our waters here and terribly expensive, so how about "Betty's Poor Man's Lobster?"

Simply boil 2 quarts water, add 1/2 cup sugar, then add any white fish - cod, halibut - and cook until done, 5-10 minutes.

The experts say that the Feast of the Seven Fishes must have baccala (Italian term for salt cod) and pasta.

Maybe LINGUINE WITH WHITE CLAM SAUCE would be a nice pasta dish -

For four servings, drain 1 can whole baby clams in a sieve over a bowl, reserving juice. Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil and add 3 garlic cloves, minced. Sauté 1 minute. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour; then stir in the reserved clam juice, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Cook 8 ounces linguine according to directions. Serve clam sauce over the linguine.



SCALLOPS IN SAGE CREAM served over pasta would be nice, too. Sprinkle 1.5 pounds sea scallops

with salt and pepper. In a skillet, sauté scallops in 2 tablespoons olive oil or until firm and opaque. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, sauté 1/2 cup chopped shallots in remaining oil until tender. Add

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 30 seconds or until slightly thickened. Return scallops to the pan; heat through. Stir in 6 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced. Serve to four with hot pasta.



And then there's Helen's elegant

FILLETS OF SOLE

FLORENTINE

6 fillets of sole (2.5 pounds)

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup dry white wine

2 packages frozen chopped spinach



HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

dash salt



WINE SAUCE

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash pepper

1 cup fish stock

1/3 cup light cream

1/2 cup heavy cream



Make hollandaise sauce - combine egg yolks, butter, water, lemon juice and salt in a pan; whisk over medium heat until butter melts and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat before it becomes too thick. Cool completely.

Rinse fillets under cool water; pat dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with lemon juice. Fold into thirds with dark side inside. Arrange in single layer in skillet. Sprinkle with shallot, tarragon and 1 teaspoon salt; pour on the wine.

Bring just to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 5-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily - do not overcook.

Meanwhile, cook spinach according to directions on package. Drain well in colander; press spinach to remove all liquid. Return to pan; cover and keep hot.

Lift fillets to heated platter; keep warm. Strain liquid from skillet into 1-cup measure.

Make wine sauce by melting butter in pan; remove from heat and stir in flour, salt and pepper.

Gradually stir in fish stock and the light cream. Over medium heat, bring to boiling, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir 1/3 cup wine sauce into spinach; toss.

Turn into a 12- x 8- x 2-inch broiler-proof pan and spread evenly. Arrange fillets in single layer on spinach. Spoon remaining wine sauce over them. Beat heavy cream until stiff; fold into hollandaise and spoon over wine sauce.

Place under broiler 2-3 minutes or until top turns golden-brown. Serves six.

It's quite easy in this area to come up with a variety of delicious fish dishes - smoked salmon or a salmon loaf, crab cakes, scampi, prawns, tilapia and tuna all are available at our farm markets.



COPYRIGHT. MARIAN PLATT, SEQUIM, 2009.