Grand Central Oyster Bar Feast of the Seven Fishes Recipes

The Feast of the Seven Fishes originated in Southern Italy where it was known as “The Vigil” (La Vigilia). Today, it is an Italian-American tradition on Christmas Eve throughout the United States. Sandy Ingber, the executive chef at New York City landmark the Grand Central Oyster Bar, calls it his “favorite food holiday” because “you can share the bountiful foods of the sea” in a variety of ways.

Among three Oyster Bar favorites from the “Bishop of Bivalves” are “Christmas Eve Pasta” (Linguini with Florida Rock Shrimp, Hazelnuts, Anchovy and Aglio e Olio), Bacala (salt cod) with rice pilaf, and “Insalata di Natale” (Italian Seafood Salad), and here are the recipes for home chefs to prepare:
Linguini with Florida Rock Shrimp, Hazelnuts, Anchovy and Aglio e Olio
(yield 4 portions)
Ingredients

• 1 oz. can Spanish anchovies, minced

• 1/4 cup peeled garlic, sliced
• ½ cup virgin olive oil

• 1 cup fish stock

• 1 tble. hazelnuts, chopped

• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tble. flat leaf parsley, washed and chopped.

• 1# Rock Shrimp, lightly poached in salted water

• 1# imported linguini, cooked al dente

Preparation

• Heat oil until medium hot in a large stock pot.
• Add sliced garlic and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add fish stock and seasoning, bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes, reserve.
• In a sauté pan, doing small batches at a time, add some olive oil, add shrimp, anchovies and hazelnuts.
• Cook 2 minutes to bring out the flavor of the nuts and anchovies.
• Add some linguini, parsley and enough broth to moisten to dish.
• Bring to boil, check for seasoning and serve immediately.

Insalata di Natale (Italian Seafood Salad)
Ingredients

• 3 cups of white wine
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 lemons
• 1 pound of calamari (squid), cleaned and cut into rings
• 1 pound of rock shrimp
• 3 cups of pulpo (octopus), cooked and cut into 1” pieces
• 3 cups of cooked scungilli (conch), sliced into ½” pieces
• 1 cup of red onion, sliced thinkly
• 1 ½ cups of chopped celery

Dressing

• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup of lemon juice
• ¼ cup of imported red wine vinegar
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• In a stockpot, combine 3 quarts of water, the wine, bay leaves and crushed garlic.
• Slice the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the mixture.
• Drop the lemons into the pot, then bring the mixture first to a boil, then reduce the hear to medium low.
• First cook the shrimp, cook 2 minutes and remove from the pot.
• Cook the calamari 1 ½ minutes and remove from the pot as well.
• If you are cooking octopus, add it to the pot, and cook it for about 45 minutes to an hour or until it is tender.
• If you are cooking scungilli, start with fresh salted boiling water and cook it for about at least an hour or until it is tender. Remove it from thepot and let it cool and slive it into bite sized slices.
• Mix all the seafood together in a bowl and add the chopped celery and red onions.
• Add the dressing ingredients and mix well.
• Cover and let marinade a minimum of 12 hours in the refrigerator.
• Just before serving, adjust the seasonings, and the basil.
• Serve on a platter lined with romaine leaves, garnish with black olives, cherry tomatoes and pepperoncini peppers.
• Serve at room temperature.

Sandy Ingber’s Christmas Eve Baccala
Ingredients

• 8-10 all purpose potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 bunch celery, trimmed, well-washed, and cut into 3-inch long pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups Gaeta olives
• 4 28-ounce cans of Italian Peeled Tomatoes, crushed
• 12 cups chicken broth
• 4 pounds dried salt cod, cut into 3-inch pieces, soaked
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Place potatoes in cold water to cover over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost cooked through. Drain.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole over medium heat. Add the celery and sauté for about 5 minutes, then add onion and sauté until vegetables begin to get soft. Add the olives and sauté for an additional minute. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in broth and return to simmer.
• Stir in the potatoes and the soaked baccala and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and the baccala flakes when poked with a fork.
• Taste and, if necessary, add salt. Serve hot.
• Note: Often salt cod dishes will require no additional salt. Therefore, always taste before adding any seasoning.

Serves 12