The Feast of Seven Fishes

[Dr. Teeth]

Wife has a rule that I’m not allowed to talk about seven fishes until Santa appears on the Macys parade.

 

He just hit time square.   Any thoughts?

[TdeV]

You first, @Dr. Teeth.

 

😀

[Dr. Teeth]

Baked clams and seafood salad are the only 2 must have, every year dishes I’m totally happy with.

 

I am fascinated with the idea of a crab gravy.   Very traditional in Philadelphia and New Jersey on Christmas Eve.   Guests would love it and it’s in my wheelhouse of things I cook.

 

The thought of giving one of the guests a crab cooked in marinara sauce in my dining room is giving me pause.   Our dining room chairs are upholstered in an off white 

[TdeV]

How big are the crabs where you are @Dr. Teeth ? Food network recipe is for 10 crabs!

Edited to add that I'm only familiar with Dungeness crab which grow 6-7" wide. So that would be a large dish.

 

Can you turn the dish into finger food? Maybe you can move folks outside to watch you do something on the Blackstone Griddle. And they could drip all over the patio. 🙄

 

 

Edited November 27, 2025 by TdeV
Edited to add (log)

[Dr. Teeth]

I’m in DC.   Blue crab territory.   Gets cold enough at Christmas time that an outdoor event is not really a possibility.

 

One of the guests is a 14 yo I’ve know since he was 5 or so.  Cannot be trusted in my house with a red sauce covered crab body

[TdeV]

A dilemma, for sure, @Dr. Teeth !

[BeeZee]

Considering what happened to my dining room on Thanksgiving from red wine (no children)…nobody can be trusted!

[TdeV]

19 minutes ago, BeeZee said:

Considering what happened to my dining room on Thanksgiving from red wine (no children)…nobody can be trusted!

 

1. Liberal use of baking soda. Leave it overnight.

2. Pour white wine over the red wine. Sometimes removes the red colour.

[Dr. Teeth]

Plan for year:

 

Guest announced he would be bringing: “a cold salmon thing, kind of like that thing you do,” rather than octopus.   So I’m thinking:

 

Cocktail Shrimp

Seafood Salad (Shrimp, Squid, Scungilli)

Jammy egg with bottarga (a bit on the fence on this one)

Salmon thing guest brings 

Smoked Oysters

Sprats on rye (trying to avoid two salmon, so this is a sub for usual salmon dish)

 

Baked Clams

Broiled Mussels with snail butter

 

Pasta either:

Stuffed Calamari (if they have ones big enough to stuff) or

Vodka Sauce with seared scallops 

 

[Dr. Teeth]

Merry Christmas all.

 

Menu changed at the last minute due to a variety of factors.   Final menu:

 

Smoked oysters 

Cocktail shrimp 

Seafood salad

Candied Salmon

Bottarga egg

 

Baked clams

Crab dip

 

Mussel, fennel and shallot pasta

 

 

Edited December 25, 2025 by Dr. Teeth
Forgot the bottarga egg, which was fire (log)

[rotuts]

@Dr. Teeth

 

looks delicious

 

is this

 

 

the crab dip ?  how did you make it ?

 

I did spot the salmon.  how did you make that ?

 

thank you

 

 

[pastameshugana]

17 hours ago, Dr. Teeth said:

Smoked oysters 

Cocktail shrimp 

Seafood salad

Candied Salmon

Bottarga egg

Baked clams

Crab dip

Mussel, fennel and shallot pasta

 

I count 8 fishes! (Or aquatic contributions to the menu, if you will)

[FeChef]

Where i live, you are supposed to eat seafood on NYE and eat pork and sauerkraut on NY day. It must be a PA dutch thing. I can't imagine eating seven fishes on Christmas too.