For me, growing up as an Italian-American in the 1960s, the most memorable night of the year was Christmas Eve. More so than Christmas morning with its gifts, the night before, called “The Vigil,” was spectacular. Especially when Grandma Jennie was in charge.
During The Vigil, it was customary in an Italian-American household to celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes with seven fish dishes. And Grandma didn’t disappoint! She usually served dishes like squid with potatoes, pasta with anchovies, herring, one or two shrimp dishes (one fried and one dish scampi-style), and baccalà (salted codfish that had to soak for days before using). We ate no meat or animal fats like lard or butter during Christmas Eve.
Along with these and other seafood dishes, Grandma served many vegetable sides like stuffed artichoke and homemade sweets. The 15-plus family members who came to her Brooklyn home for the meal dined like royalty.
These days, with Grandma and Mamma gone, my family is very small and we usually don’t have a large crowd for Christmas. So how do I continue the tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes without wasting food? Usually for me, it’s one signature dish that I make for myself: pasta alici (pasta with anchovies, garlic, and walnuts). The smell of this dish reminds me of Christmas Eve like no other.
I also found some excellent recipes online for fish soup (using seven different fish types or seven pieces of fish), fish stew, and some amazing pasta dishes using lots of different types of fish (this one is called frutti di mare — fruits of the sea).
A lot of these dishes would make a great Fish Friday meal all on their own. Just be sure to purchase sustainable seafood to minimize your environmental impact.
I’m so grateful for my memories of our family Christmas Eve gatherings for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. These delicious meals, which are among my strongest and most fond memories, also help me cut down on meat, which also helps reduce my impact on the environment.