X-Mas Eve, Here We Come!

I am gearing up this week to welcome approximately 2o people to my house for Christmas Eve dinner.  Between work and the prepping/cleaning I have to do it’s going to be a busy week up until Friday.  Christmas Eve is a huge event in our family, and also H’s favorite day of the year.  We do the traditional 7 Fishes Italian Feast and this year I’ve added 2 different dishes to make our total fishes 8, well sort of 9. 

1.  Shrimp

2.  Scungilli

3.  Calamari

4.  Crab

5.  Clams

6.  Baccalà

7.  Eel

8.  Mussels

(9.  Salmon I’m making for my step dad who doesn’t eat the other fish)

The first year was a bit overwhelming, but each year I’ve found shortcuts to help me out and now have it down to a good routine.  Thursday I will prepare a lot of the cold stuff and chop herbs & garlic for the other dishes.  Friday morning I fry all the fish. Then I’ll prepare all of the other dishes in foil tins so they’re ready for the oven.  The only main item that will need to be cooked in-between courses is the pasta dish, which doesn’t take long.

Here’s my menu for this year:

First Course:

Shrimp Cocktail (with homemade cocktail sauce)

Scungilli & Calamari salad (cold)

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Second Course:
Linguini with mussels in a red sauce

Third Course:

Fried Baccalà

Fried Eel

Clam Casserole

Salmon (for my step dad)

Tossed Salad

Fourth Course:

Assorted Cookies & Chocolates (homemade)

Rum Cake

Roasted Chestnuts

Fresh Fennel

Coffee & Cordials