Christmas Eve 7 Fishes Seafood Salad
All of our favorite fish in one platter, it doesn't get any better than that! We could always count on Aunt Rosemarie to make the best traditional Christmas Eve seafood salad for a tasty appetizer to start. Our husbands look forward to it and request it throughout the year. We recommend you have plenty of crusty Italian bread on hand to soak up the delicious marinade. ❤️
Ingredients
Broth
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 3 bay leaves (large size) fresh or dried
- 12 black peppercorns
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
- 3 lemon slices, 1/4-inch thick
- 1 Tablespoon salt
Mussels
- 1/2 cup white wine
Salad
- 1 pound tenderized octopus (see directions below)
- 1 pound calamari, cut into 1/2-inch rings
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 1 29-oz can of sliced scungilli (we use LaMonica canned sliced scungilli as fresh is not available in our area)
- 1 pound bay scallops (the small ones)
- 3 lbs mussels, beards removed (if any of the uncooked mussels are open run under cold water to close. If they don’t close throw them out. After cooking throw out any mussels that do no open.
- 1 baccala (salted dried cod, reconstitute in a large bowl with cold water 48 hours prior to cooking. Change the water several times throughout the process to remove excess salt.)
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- 1 cup green olives with pimento (any olive you like can be used, black or green or both)
Marinade
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon EVOO
- 10 cloves garlic (medium size)
- 1/2 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- reserved mussel broth that has been strained through cheesecloth
Directions
- 48 hours before cooking, soak the baccala in fresh clean water, changing the water about every 8 hours, to remove excess salt.
- Clean and wash all the seven fishes.
- In a deep pan, add 1/2 cup white wine and the mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels are all opened and the meat separates easily from the shell.
- Remove the meat and set aside in bowl.
- Filter the broth of the mussels through cheesecloth and set aside.
- In a large double boiler pot that has a colander, fill halfway with water.
- Add to the water all the ingredients for the broth, 1/2 cup white wine, 4 large cloves garlic, 3 bay leaves, 12 black peppercorns, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, 3 lemon slices, and 1 Tablespoon salt.
- Bring to a boil then add the reconstituted baccala. Cook about 7 minutes then remove from water and set aside.
- Add to the pot the calamari, cook them for about 5 minutes then remove from water and set aside.
- Add to the pot the scallops, cook them for about 3-4 minutes then remove from water and set aside.
- Add to the pot the shrimp, cook about 2-3 minutes more or less (depending on their size) then remove from water and set aside. Shrimp are done when they are pink & opaque.
- Lastly, add the octopus to the pot then dip the colander in and out 3 times. Let the octopus cook for about 10-20 minutes (depending on size)then remove from the pot and set aside. Octopus is done when a fork pierces it easily.
- In a large bowl, add the mussels, calamari, shrimp, sliced scungilli, and scallops.
- Cut the baccala into bite size pieces, then add to the bowl.
- Cut the octopus into bite-size pieces with a knife or scissors, then add to the bowl.
- Mix all the fish together.
- To the bowl add the parsley, celery, carrots, and olives. Mix well.
- In a small bowl add the marinade ingredients and mix well.
- Pour over the fishes and mix well.
- In a covered bowl, marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- Serve at room temperature as the appetizer course of your Christmas Eve dinner.
Notes: Baccala must be reconstituted in fresh colder water for 48 hours prior to making this recipe.
Once the salad is made and the marinade has been added, refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving to meld the flavors.
Refrigerate unused salad and use within 2 days.
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twiinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.
