Surf's up on christmas eve

This may seem odd coming from a Jewish woman from New York, but I love celebrating Christmas Eve with a feast of the seven fishes.It's a southern Italian (and now Italian-American) custom in which a grand meal of at least seven different kinds of seafood is served before midnight Mass. The fish part comes from the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Christmas Eve, while the number may refer to the seven sacraments. Or it could be the Seven Hills of Rome. No one is sure, but the tradition has stuck fast.I picked it up from an old friend. At his house, the meal actually consisted of 12 fishes (for the apostles, they told me). It went on for hours, with one fabulous garlic-scented seafood dish following another, including braised eel in tomato sauce, scungilli salad, baked clams oreganata, fried calamari and seafood stew. Everyone ate until we collapsed on the couch with glasses of amaro or Sambuca to help digest it all.In a holiday season dominated by roasted fowl and hearty braised meats, a meal reveling in the bounty of the sea is novel and refreshing. It's at least as sumptuous as turkey and ham, and a welcome change in the dead of winter.Over the years, I've put my own spin on this piscine tradition - whittling my friend's 12 dishes down to a more concentrated and manageable seven.The menu changes wildly from year to year, though there are some self-imposed strictures. For instance, Asian fish sauce, oyster mushrooms and Swedish gummy fish do not count toward the total. But anchovies in the salad dressing are completely valid.When I'm feeling ambitious, I'll cook seven courses, each showcasing one pristine sea creature in all its glory: scallops with Champagne sauce, for example, and lobster risotto cooked with a broth made from the lobster shells.Then there are the more hectic and distracted years when I'll just throw seven different fish into the soup pot at once, cioppino-style, and ladle it over olive-oil croutons.
This menu falls somewhere in between the rustic and the spectacular. While I do pull off the seven courses, they are almost all fairly simple to make.The one exception is mussels in the garlicky herb butter known as snail butter, because that's what it is traditionally served with in France. This dish involves steaming the mussels in Pernod, shelling them, arranging them on the half-shell topped with Pernod-imbued garlic butter and then broiling. But they are so incredibly savory that I don't mind the work, most of which can be done in advance.I'll serve these as part of an hors d'oeuvres spread that will also include the dead-simple combination of potato chips topped with lemony crème fraîche and salmon roe. This dish is more about shopping than cooking. You need to get the salmon roe, which can be found at fishmongers and specialty markets, and some good small-batch potato chips. But once you have those, it's a snap.Hot crab dip, with its gooey layer of melted cheese, may not be the most sophisticated offering on the menu, but there will not be a speck of it left. And you can mix it up a day ahead. Just bake it right before serving so the cheese stays nice and oozy. As a slight twist, and to sneak another fish onto the menu, I added chopped oysters. It deepens the saline flavor of the dip, though you can leave them out since they do bring the fish total to eight.A green chili-laced Thai squid salad rounds out the cocktail snacks, which I'll serve, appropriately enough, with a classic Fish House rum punch.At the table, I'll start everyone out with shrimp cocktail. But instead of boiling the shrimp, I'll roast them, and serve them with tomato-horseradish aioli reminiscent of cocktail sauce, only richer.Every holiday meal needs a grand showstopper of a main course. On Thanksgiving, turkey; Easter, ham. And at a feast of the seven fishes, a very large whole roasted fish brought to the table with head and tail intact is visually dramatic and incredibly tasty.Even better is that it's a breeze to cook (season it up, throw it into the oven and wait) and almost as easy to serve (big fish have big bones, which makes it easy to scoop the flesh off the skeleton). Remember to call your fishmonger ahead to order a very large fish. This recipe, with lemons, herbs and crisp wild mushrooms, will work with any 4-to-6 pound fish, from delicate, white-fleshed black sea bass to salmon-colored Arctic char. The variety of fish is less important than the size.The final fishy course is where that anchovy-dressed salad makes its appearance. Using radicchio and arugula makes it Christmas-colored.After all that, it's a good idea to ask someone else to bring dessert. You can reassure them that all seven fishes have been accounted for. A chocolate babka, however, would be divine.Broiled mussels with garlicky herb butter
Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 8 to 12 servings1/2 cup parsley leaves2 large garlic cloves1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons Pernod or other pastis2 pounds mussels, scrubbed1/3 cup bread crumbs1. In a food processor, pulse together parsley, garlic, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Pulse in butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons Pernod until mixture is combined. Scrape into a bowl.2. In a soup pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine mussels, 1/4 cup Pernod and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until mussels have opened, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer mussels to a bowl until cool enough to handle; remove meat from the shells (reserving shells) and transfer to a bowl.3. Pry apart mussel shells and arrange half the shells on one or two large baking sheets; discard remaining shells. Place one mussel in each shell. Top each with a small spoonful of herb butter and a sprinkling of bread crumbs. Mussels may be made up to 1 day ahead up to this point; wrap baking sheets and mussels in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, heat broiler to high and arrange a rack 4 inches from the heat. Transfer tray(s) to the oven and broil until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.Whole roasted fish with wild mushrooms
Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 to 6 servings1 (4- to 6-pound) whole fish, such as black sea bass, blackfish or arctic char, cleaned3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, more as needed1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more as neededThinly sliced lemon, as needed, plus lemon wedges for serving1 small bunch fresh herbs, such as sage, thyme or rosemary1 pound wild mushrooms, including maitake and oyster, cut into 1-inch piecesGood extra-virgin olive oil, for servingFlaky sea salt, for serving1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lay fish on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Coat top of fish and cavity with 1/2 tablespoon oil (no need to oil bottom) and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Bake until the flesh is opaque and separates easily from the backbone, 35 to 45 minutes for a 4-pound fish, 45 to 60 minutes for 6 pounds.2. While fish cooks, toss mushrooms with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread mushrooms out in one layer on 1 or 2 baking sheets, taking care not to crowd them. When fish is done, remove from oven and turn on broiler. Broil mushrooms until they are crisp and golden, 5 to 10 minutes.3. Let fish rest in roasting pan for 5 minutes. Using back of a fork, scrape away fish skin and divide top fillet among plates. Lift away backbone and discard; scoop bottom fillet from its skin (which should stick to the pan); divide among plates. Drizzle fillets with good olive oil, season with flaky sea salt and serve with lemon wedges and mushrooms on the side.Note: To double this recipe, use 2 fish, each cooked in its own pan.Hot crab and oyster dip
Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servingsOlive oil, for greasing pan1 pound lump crab meat4 ounces canned oysters, drained and coarsely chopped to yield 1/2 cup4 ounces (1 cup) Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated1 jalapeno, seeded if desired, finely chopped3/4 cup mayonnaise2 ounces (1/4 cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce1/2 teaspoon hot sauce1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon black pepperCrackers or bread, for serving1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 2-quart gratin dish or 9-inch baking dish with olive oil.2. In a large bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Transfer mixture to baking dish. Bake until hot and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve hot or warm with crackers or bread.Red and green salad with anchovy-mustard vinaigrette
Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings2 garlic cloves, finely choppedKosher salt and black pepper, as needed6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped1 tablespoon Dijon mustard4 teaspoons lemon juice, more to taste1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil2 quarts cleaned arugula1 small head radicchio, trimmed and thinly sliced1. To make the dressing, use the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to make a paste out of garlic and a pinch of salt. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic paste, anchovy, mustard and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper and more lemon if desired.2. In a large bowl, toss enough dressing with arugula and radicchio to lightly coat leaves. Serve immediately.Roasted shrimp cocktail with aioli
Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings1 large egg yolk1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice1 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon prepared horseradish1 teaspoon hot sauce1 teaspoon ketchup2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined1. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in 2/3 cup oil until completely incorporated. Whisk in horseradish, hot sauce and ketchup. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Spread shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until shrimp are just opaque, about 10 minutes. Serve shrimp either hot or at room temperature, with the aioli for dipping.

Caviar potato chips and lemon cream
Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 8 to 12 servings1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zestPotato chips
4 ounces salmon roe or other caviarIn a small bowl, whisk together crème fraîche and zest. Top each potato chip with a small dollop of crème fraîche and a spoonful of caviar.Spicy thai squid with chilis and cilantro
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings1 pound cleaned squid2 tablespoons peanut oilSalt1 tablespoon lime juice1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, and minced2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantroCucumber rounds or shot glasses, for servingChopped roasted peanuts, for serving (optional)1. Rinse squid. Cut bodies into 1/2-inch rings and halve tentacles. Transfer them to several paper towels to dry completely.2. Place a large skillet over high heat. Let pan get very hot, heating it for a good 5 minutes. Move half the squid from the paper towels to a bowl, so they don't stick when you slide them into the pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Season squid with salt, slide them into the pan, and cook without moving for 1 minute. Flip squid and cook 30 seconds more. Repeat with remaining squid and oil. Don't overcrowd the pan; if your skillet doesn't fit the squid comfortably, cook them in smaller batches.3. In a medium bowl, combine cooked squid with lime juice and zest, fish sauce, shallot, jalapeño and cilantro. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour (or refrigerate for up to 6 hours, then bring to room temperature before serving). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve mounded onto cucumber rounds or scooped into shot glasses (and served with a fork); sprinkle with peanuts.© 2013 New York Times News Service