2020 Christmas Eve seven fishes menu
This meal was created in partnership with the Marine Stewardship Council, a global, science-based non-profit dedicated to ending over fishing.
Christmas Eve is right around the corner! If you celebrate with a seven fishes feast, is your menu ready?! We have been crafting our Feast of Seven Fishes menu since November, and we are so excited to finally share it with you guys! Every year we spend Christmas Eve with close family. The festivities include going to mass then coming home to the seven fishes feast and of course cocktails! We have a very decked out menu this year loaded with traditional Italian dishes paired with some of the classics. So, we pretty much have it covered from your festive cocktails, to the seven fishes feast itself, to the side dishes, and even dessert. We hope you love this years menu as much as we do!
So you guys may know by now that thanksgiving is my all time favorite day of the year. But I will admit that Christmas Eve is a close second. There is just so much to love about this day, and the traditions carried are some of my absolute favorites. I love the whole day from start to finish. Cooking with my mom in the morning. Going to afternoon mass. Returning home to festive cocktails with close family. Exchanging presents. Watching Home Alone. AND of course eating the seven fishes feast!
It is no secret that our family has some deep rooted Italian holiday traditions. The seven fishes feast on Christmas Eve is no exception! While we tweak the menu a bit every year, we are super excited to share this one with you guys. This year we have teamed up with the @MSCbluefish label to bring you a sustainably crafted seven fishes menu. So, not only do we have a delicious spread planned, but it is all sustainable seafood!
The MSC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending overfishing worldwide. We are so excited to have partnered with them to bring you this delicious and sustainable spread. You can look for their label to ensure the seafood products you buy are wild-caught and certified sustainable. Did you know that you can do double the good this holiday season when you purchase MSC certified seafood? A portion of the proceeds goes toward funding sustainable research and supporting fisheries at all stages of their sustainable journey.
We have been planning this menu since before thanksgiving, and I think we have really perfected it this year! We have pulled in the Italian classics for a seven fishes feast and paired them with modern dishes that everyone will love. The wine selection includes both red and white, each chosen to pair with the fish dishes. And of course, a festive cocktail is necessary to kick off the evening. Finally the dessert, because every holiday gathering needs something sweet to end the night.
So get ready to celebrate the season with our 2020 Christmas Eve seven fishes menu! We really hope you love it. And don’t forget to let us know if you try any of our dishes. We love to hear what you think of them!
Cocktails
So, Christmas cocktails are essential. We all know they are just as important as the food. There are endless possibilities for festive cocktails. Pomegranates, cranberries, grapefruits, you name it. Christmas is the ultimate cocktail holiday! Enter 2020’s cocktail line up.
Santa’s Christmas Eve Sangria (Coming Soon)
Wines
Don’t forget the wines. You need a good red and a good white to serve with the seven fishes when cocktail hour is finished!
Azelia Barolo
Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis
Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc
Appetizers
I absolutely love the appetizer portion of the seven fishes feast. There are so many fun ways to make seafood appetizers. Christmas Eve needs the perfect cocktail hour. Not only do we have you covered on the festive drinks, but we’ve got the perfect bites to pair with them. So, get the cocktails flowing and break out the appetizers!
Clams Oreganato (Coming Soon)
Anchovie Toasts (Coming Soon)
Mains
There are so many ways to get creative with the main dishes for a seven fishes feast. We like to tie in both Italian classics and our favorite modern dishes. First off, you need a good pasta dish! It has to be fancy and decadent because, well, it’s Christmas Eve. We tend to go for a creamy lobster sauce pasta or crabs and spaghetti. A creamy clams and spaghetti works great too, depending on what kind of shellfish you like!
In addition to pasta, we always have a Baccala Salad. It’s an Italian staple, and if you have the perfect recipe then this dish is a must on Christmas Eve. It’s definitely one that everyone has to try because it’s just so unique.
With the rest of the mains, we like to get creative. This year we went with a glazed salmon and a citrus swordfish. The salmon is bursting with delicious flavors, and honestly it is almost too pretty to eat. The citrus swordfish brings some unique flavors to the table as well. The citrus and avocado chimichurri come together perfectly. Basically melt in your mouth delicious.
Baccala Salad (Coming Soon)
Sides
When it comes to the seven fishes feast, the mains steal the show in my opinion. But let’s not forget the sides because they are still important! We like to combine our Orange Salad, another Italian classic, with a vegetable of some sort.
Oven-Roasted Green Beans with Chili Peppers (Coming Soon)
Homemade Dinner Rolls (Coming Soon)
Desserts
You may have just eaten seven fishes, but you always have to save room for dessert! There’s nothing like a good Italian cookie on Christmas Eve. After all, it’s Christmas Eve, so you’ve got to have cookies like Santa! And don’t forget our latest Christmas tradition…Fruitcake!
Tips
Make a List & Start Early
We are big on making lists and starting ahead of schedule. Anything that you can buy ahead of time definitely do! If there’s fish you can freeze, get it early. There’s nothing worse than getting to the grocery store last minute, on or right before Christmas Eve and having it packed with holiday shoppers. So, lists and early shopping is essential!
Utilize Christmas Eve Eve for Cooking
Start prepping the Seven Fishes Feast on Christmas Eve Eve. That way you won’t be doing all the work on Christmas Eve itself. Make the sauce for the Lobster Fettuccine. Soak the salt cod well in advance so you can prep the Baccala Salad. Start baking the desserts and the dinner rolls. The more you can get done the day before the better. That way you can enjoy Christmas Eve!
Stock the Bar
Christmas Eve is all about the seven fishes, but cocktails are essential. Stock up on the liquor, wines, and beers. These are things you can buy well in advance, so get them early! Have some staple cocktails on the menu that are easy to make. Or make big batch cocktail pitchers so you don’t have to keep refilling and making drinks.
Buy Sustainable
Seven Fishes Feast, but Make it Sustainable!! Purchasing products that feature the MSC blue fish label products ensures trustworthy seafood, and well you can’t go wrong with that!
Whether you spend the holiday cooking, relaxing with a drink, or appreciating some time off don’t forget to enjoy the Christmas season! After all, Christmas is one of the happiest times of the year. So take some time with family and friends to enjoy yourself. And if you’re all about making lots of food as a way to celebrate, we really hope you enjoy our menu! Merry Christmas guys!! The season is well-deserved for all of you!
