On Christmas Eve, there is a popular Italian cultural tradition: cooking the Seven Fish. The Seven Fish is part of the Italian heritage that features seven courses of seafood instead of meat. Some families do modified versions of this, but the typical seven fish include clams, mussels, anchovies, sardines, lobster, calamari, shrimp, octopus and cod.
Clams are mollusks that are often known for their mild, sweet and salty taste. The meat inside the shell is the only edible part, which is typically soft and lean. Clams come in multiple different varieties such as littleneck, chowder, steamers and quahog. Mussels are also mollusks that have a light, sweet and slightly briny flavor and have smooth, elongated, dark shells. The mussels’ taste can be described as similar to clams and oysters, but is milder and more delicate.
Anchovies are small, oily saltwater fish that have a strong, savory and salty flavor. Anchovies have silvery scales and are typically 5-6 inches long. The fish are used as a flavor enhancer in sauces and dressings, a topping and to make the flavor of the dishes subtle. Anchovies are generally smaller and darker than sardines, with an intense, briny flavor. Sardines are also small, oily fish from the herring family which have a strong flavor. They have a soft texture that can be prepared in many ways, which could alter their taste and texture. Sardines can be served by themselves or in a variety of dishes like salads, pastas, sandwiches and rice bowls.
Lobster is a marine crustacean with a long body, muscular tail and hard exoskeleton. The edible parts of the lobster are the meat from the tail, claws and knuckles. These parts have a sweet, mild and slightly briny flavor with a firm and tender texture. The flavor and texture can vary depending on the type of lobster. Cold water or Maine lobsters are often considered delicate, while rock lobsters can have a firmer, grainier and brinier meat.
Calamari is a type of mollusk with a mild and slightly sweet flavor. Calamari comes from a squid and you can eat the mantle, tentacles, arms, and fins. It is chewy when cooked correctly, but tough and rubbery if overcooked. Calamari could be cooked by frying, sautéing, grilling or stir-frying it. There are multiple different types of calamari that include the European squid, North Atlantic squid and Pacific flying squid which are all known for their tender meat.
Shrimp are small, crustaceans with a semitransparent body and a flexible abdomen that ends in a fan-like tail which has a light and slightly sweet flavor. There are many different methods for cooking shrimp such as pan-searing, grilling, baking or making it into a shrimp cocktail. Shrimp can be found in all environments, whether they be freshwater, saltwater, shallow or deep.
Octopus has a mild, slightly sweet and salty flavor. The flavor is subtle so it will absorb any ingredient it’s cooked with. Octopus does not taste fishy and could be compared to chicken or clams. The texture can range from firm and chewy to tender and soft. When octopus is cooked properly, it becomes solid when it is cooked incorrectly, it can be rubbery, chewy or mushy. Some ways you could have octopus is by boiling it, frying it, grilling it or eating it raw. A common flavor that is added to octopus is lemon juice or zest because it brightens the taste of the octopus.
Cod is a popular food that is known for its mild, buttery and slightly sweet flavor, having a tender, flaky texture that turns white when it is cooked. Cod can be prepared in many different ways, including being baked, fried, steamed or grilled. Some other methods for cooking are poaching it or using it in stews and soups. There are many different ways you can enhance the flavor in cod like herbs and spices, sauces, breadings, citrus and vegetables.
Some Italians include antipasti and serve Italian cookies for dessert as part of the tradition. Antipasti could be considered an appetizer that has many different types of foods. Some Italian cookies are amaretti, biscotti, Italian butter cookies and Pignoli.
The Seven Fish are a delicious tradition that many in Italian culture celebrate on Christmas Eve. There are different variations of the amount of fish that many people have on the holiday. This tradition is much loved by Italians.
