My first traditional Italian seafood Christmas Eve dinner...

[sadinred]

What do I absolutley HAVE TO serve? I have the red sause (gravy) with squid planned, but that's all I know. Help anyone?

Thank you DU cooks! I promise I will visit again and try to repay you.

[The empressof all]

1. Zuppa de Clams-----In the Microwave!!!!

Take about 3 lbs of small clams (I use Manilas) (I scrub them well and let them sit in cold water with Ice Cubes for a few hours)

In a large glass microwave safe bowl add about 1/3 stick butter and about 4 or 5 crushed garlic cloves (more or less to taste)

Add just a small splash of dry white wine (I use Chardonnay cause that's what I usually have around)

Add a pinch of red pepper flakes (again to taste--You can omit if you don't like spicy)

Add Cleaned Clams and cover with plastic wrap--leaving a tiny opening on one of the sides

Microwave for 7 minutes.---Check to see if the clams have opened. If they are opened get out your bread you are done.

If they aren't open microwave in one minute increments until they are done.



(Hint- You really don't want a lot of liquid in the bowl when you start because the clams will add nectar- The broth is the best part of this dish---perfect for dipping)



PS: If you prefer red sauce---you can just cook the same way just add red sauce in the beginning. The broth won't be as clamy tasting as the white version above--but just as delicious. Make sure you add the garlic to the red sauce

[sadinred]

2. Thank you. That sounds delicious. Just put it on bread & eat? nt

[The empressof all]

3. Eat the clams--Dip the bread :)

[Lugnut]

4. You need to serve

Aglia Olio. It's a tradition in my husband's Italian family and a must-have on Christmas Eve.

For six consumers I use:

2 cans of anchovie flat filets
1# linguine
3 or 4 lg. cloves of garlic med. chopped
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh parsley to taste

Add garlic to heated oil in frying pan when the pasta is almost done. Saute for one minute and add anchovies. Don't burn the garlic but saute until the anchovies start to break apart. Drain the pasta and dump into a large serving bowl. Dump the oil and anchovie mix over the pasta and sprinkle with parsley. Toss and serve.

You can adjust your ingredients based on the number of people you're serving.

We also have squid in sauce (gravy), cod and potatoes in sauce, fried smelts. I make shrimp scampi for our son's fiance and myself because we don't care for the other things.

[sadinred]

8. Thank you. I love anchovies. One more question, please:

How many pasta dishes is too many? Make that two questions: Is it really un traditional to do it buffet style, or must it be in courses? Maybe in buffet courses? I am leaning towards courses, I think.

[Lugnut]

12. I do two

But only because my son's fiance and I don't care for aglia olio. I use some of the pasta for shrimp scampi.....I pour the scampi over the pasta.

I always put all the serving dishes on the table at once since we do sit-down. If you're having a crowd a buffet makes sense.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Buon Natale!

The whole tradition of the Italian seafood menu for Christmas Eve goes waaay back. Each family does it a little different and there really are no rules. Over the years, my own family has done many things, but there have been a few constants. A few of the constants include:

Vermicelli with white clam sauce.
Whiting marinated in lemon (think ceviche, with the whiting flaked and a lot of herbs)
Marinated eel (cut into 2"-3" lengths, broiled, and then marinated in what is essentially a vinaigrette salad dressing)
Bacala in tomato sauce

Meat is not excluded, either. Italian wedding soup with those wonderful little meatballs, veal cutlets, even broiled steak (usually a large sirloin or three, broiled rare, cut into smaller pieces and served communally), and several other items I can recall.

In the old days, we would have as many as 30 people or more for Christmas Eve. This was our time for the extended family to gather (cousins, nieces and nephews, etc.). Christmas Day was more a nuclear (nucular? :)) family day. Now, with everyone scattered so far and wide and the older generations all but gone, we're the "older generation". We try to hold on to the old ways, but, sadly, they're really gone. Our kids have some memories of these old ways, but their significant others ... well ..... I'm sure your family's pretty much the same .....

There are two really good cookbooks that have a lot of the old ways documented. One I know to still be in print is "Naples at Table" by Arthur Schwartz. An odd title, to be sure, and a Jewish author, but the book is second to none for completeness and accuracy in the ways of authentic Neapolitan cooking. (I think Arthur Schwartz does a radio cooking show in the NYC area, but I'm not certain of this.)

The other is as much a tribute to family as it is a cookbook. I bought several copies a few years ago as gifts, but as all cookbooks do, it may already have faded from availability. It is "Italian Immigrant Cooking" by Elodia Rigante. It includes some Neapolitan and some Abruzzese. The section on Christmas Eve is worth the price of the whole book.

Buon Natale!

[NamVetsWeeLass]

14. Sorry, I just got to read this thread...

YES!!! Wedding Soup! I grew up on this stuff, and mine, although not as good as Gran's is pretty Kick ass. Since I moved away from my family in 2k1, I have to make it myself, but a new tradition is to make it and give it to my very American Husband's family. I also take a large bowl of it to a former workplace of mine. I have a few favorite Patients there, but one is Full blooded Italian and his eyes light up at a big bowl of my Wedding Soup. He doesn't eat much these days, but a family member of his that I know said he ate every bit of it. (It was a 3 cup container, and he weighs next to nothing now a days...) You guys should have saw his face/ I haven't seen him in a while, and not only was he happy to see me, He about knocked me down when I held the container up. YAY, the meaning of Giftmas... making someone happy. Even if it is just with Wedding Soup. As far as the feast of the 7 fishes... I will do either Any variation of Shrimp and maybe Linguini with Clam Sauce. No one else here will eat anything with Anchovy, unless I sneak it, and I think they might notice Banga Cauda over Macaroni.... Hehehe. I can't bring myself to do Eel, Squid and the like... But it's me.

[NMDemDist2]

15. hiya Lass!! haven't seen you much

hope you had a merry Holidays

[NamVetsWeeLass]

17. Yeah, I am down a Monitor.....

haven't been on much cause I have to use the Husband's Machine to do my subversive evil bidding. LOL. Other than that, Working two jobs, and trying to be a Mommy... Well, You know the drill. The Holidays were Ok, Hope yours were Wonderful.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. A general tip on Italian cooking

Since this is your first Italian Christmas Eve dinner, just keep something in mind as you go about your preparation. Italian cooking is very informal (as compared to say, French, or even some of the higher Asian cuisines). We don't worry so much about getting our basil cut in a precise chiffonade .... just "chop" it! We don't worry so much about the garlic being in a perfect brunoise .... slice it or chop it and be done!

The over riding philosophy is good, fresh ingredients prepared simply (both in the number of ingredients and in the utter lack of "fussiness" in preparation). If it feels uptight, its probably wrong.

Like the Italians as a people, it is about having fun in the doing and enjoying the results. Smile a lot, sing a little. Drink some wine. But most of all, just enjoy!

[sadinred]

7. Thank you so much Husb2Sparky. Thanks for all you wrote. I

will keep it in mind while cooking.
I am half Italian, but was never close enough (geographically) to my grandmother to be in the kitchen while she cooked. My mother did a small seafood Christmas Eve dinner each year but I am cooking large and really need the help you give me. Thank you again. I am printing your advice as I write!

Happy Holidays and to Sparky and to your family!

[Stinky The Clown]

10. You're so very welcome

Its all in the spirit! (and maybe a little in the spirits, too, if you get my drift!)

[Hans Delbrook]

16. I saw this kind of late

But I couldn't agree more! My family background is mainly Northern Italian - Tuscan and Umbrian. I find French cuisine and some of the California "chic" food to be so overwrought. You can't beat the best ingredients simply prepared with a few well chosen flavors predominating.

[demnan]

9. My brother's wife's family always has fried smelts

and they're really good too. They're a small fish.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. OmigodthosearesoGOOD

Fried smelts .... a little salt .... enjoy them ...... popcorn of the sea! I had forgotten those. We used to do them in the summer. I grew up on Long Island Sound. There were these little bait fish - shiners, we called them - about 2" to 3" long. We used to net them up from the huge schools that would swim near the piers. They were either fried whole, salted, and eaten, or for the fussy or feint of heart, we'd cut the heads off before cooking. No need to gut them cuz they were so small.

It's been years since I had those, but smelts can be gotten in our grocery store, cleaned and ready to cook.

Great suggestion!

[Lugnut]

13. Yep!

We do smelts as well. I do the squid in sauce. I also make cod and potatoes in sauce.

My husband's grandparents came to the U.S. from Longano and the dishes we make have been passed down from them. My mother-in-law taught us how to make them the way her mother did. She also taught my daughter and I how to make ravioli and cavatelli while she still could. She's 93 now and is in a nursing home so I'm glad we learned when we did.