It’s that time of year again and BCM Founder Walter Biscardi, Jr. is gearing up for his traditional “Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes.” The meal was brought over from Italy by Walter’s grandfather Lou and growing up it was the only way he know to celebrate Christmas Eve. Walter has modified it from his grandfather’s original meal and actually tweaks the menu every couple of years as he loves to try new things. Honestly if he wasn’t running a production company he’d surely have a restaurant by now.
So as we all gather together for this 2013 Holiday Season, here’s his menu for the Christmas Eve celebration along with all the recipes so you and yours can enjoy. Many of these are quite simple. If you’ve never tried the Randall’s Ordinary Scallops, you owe it to yourself to try this incredibly simple and delicious dish. The Salmon baked in foil is incredibly simple and tasty. Even the Tortonis make an amazing dessert and are simple to prepare.
Seafood Purchasing tip: I purchase all of my seafood from my local Costco on Dec. 22nd each year except the Calamari because they don’t carry it. But all other seafood you see in these recipes comes from their store. It’s amazing and it’s quite the savings vs. a fish or super market pricing. In fact we probably purchase close to 70% of the ingredients for this meal at Costco, including their insanely awesome first press extra virgin olive oil.
Prepare, Eat, Enjoy!
The Biscardi Feast of the Seven Fishes: 2013
Cocktails & Antipasta
House Cocktail: Poinsettia featuring Cointreau, Prosecco and Cranberry Juice
Fried Calamari & Catfish
Fried Cauliflower
Italian Cheese & Meats
Homemade Mozzarella Cheese with fresh basil.
Roasted Red Peppers with fresh basil __________________________
First Course – Pasta Two Ways
Pasta with the Biscardi Family Fish Sauce including: Clams, Mussels, Catfish, Shrimp, Calamari, Lobster Tail
Pasta with Marinara Sauce including Sun Dried Tomatoes. ________________________
Second Course – Seafood Two Ways & Meat
Crab and Ricotta Cannelloni
Randall’s Ordinary Scallops
Italian Sausage and Peppers
Ricotta & Spinach Stuffed Shells ____________________________
Third Course – Seafood Two Other Ways & Vegetables
Shrimp Cocktail
Salmon Baked in Foil
Cauliflower Sformato
Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and chili pepper
Cioppiolini’s and Potatoes _______________________________
Dessert
Tortoni
Cookies provided by guests
Coffee / Espresso / Hot Chocolate / Tea ________________________
THE RECIPES:
Breaded Cauliflower, Fried Fish and Fried Calamari (use the same eggs, breadcrumb combination for all. Works best in a deep fryer, but can also be fried in a heavy pan like a cast iron pan.)
- 2 heads of Cauliflower, chopped.
- 1-2 lbs Catfish, cut into chunks or strips.
- 1-2lbs Calamari cut into 1/2″ strips.
- 4 – 6 eggs for dipping for each of the items
- 1/4 cup of milk
- Seasoned Breadcrumbs for dipping
- Peanut Oil for frying. Generally 1 gallon for a deep fryer. Want to submerge the food in oil.
- Pre-heat the Deep Fryer to 375 degrees.
- Mix the eggs and milk together.
- Dip into egg, and then into breadcrumbs. Be sure to coat fully.
- Fry in batches for 2 minutes each.
Note: if you have Vegetarians attending the meal, cook the Cauliflower in the oil first, then cook the seafood.
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Homemade Mozzarella with Fresh Basil
We use this Williams-Sonoma DIY Mozzarella kit for the cheese.
First Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil (we use the Costco brand sold once a year in the glass bottles)
Slice the cheese approx. 1/4″ thick, top each slice with a basil leaf, repeat around a platter and drizzle with the oil.
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Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Fresh Basil
Make at least one day in advance to allow the flavors to blend.
- 6 Red Peppers
- Paper Bag big enough to hold the 6 peppers or a pot with a lid. (for steaming the peppers after they cook)
- 1 head of garlic, minced
- Fresh Basil, chopped
- Pepper to taste
- Airtight container approx 8” x 3” and 3” deep (like Tupperware)
- Place a rack approx. 6 inches from the top of the oven, set oven to Broil OR heat your grill to medium heat.
- Wash and place the whole peppers on a baking sheet and place under the broiler, (or on the grill) be sure to leave the oven door open a crack.
- Turn the peppers as needed until they are just about completely blacked on all sides. Should take from 10 – 20 minutes in the oven, 8-10 minutes on the Grill.
- Put the peppers into a paper bag and seal the bag, let rest at least 10 minutes. (or in a pot with a lid)
- Peel the skin off the peppers and discard.
- Slice the peppers open and discard the seeds and the stem.
- Slice the peppers vertically in 1/4 – 1/2” strips.
- Place a layer of pepper strips in the bottom of the container
- Sprinkle basil, garlic, oregano and pepper on the peppers (can omit any of these to taste)
- Repeat this process until all of the peppers and mozzarella are used, should be 3 – 4 layers depending on the size of the container.
- Place the container in the refrigerator overnight.
- Remove from the refrigerator and place onto a serving plate approx. 30 minutes before serving.
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Mama Biscardi’s Feast of the Seven Fishes Fish Sauce.
- 1/2 bushel Littleneck Clams
- 3 lbs Mussels
- 2 Lobster Tails
- 2 lbs Shrimp
- 2 lbs Fresh Fish (Talapia, Sole, Catfish, etc….)
- 1 lb Calamari sliced
- Garlic in Oil
- 2 full cans of white clam sauce (Progresso’s)
- 1 – 106 oz Can of Whole Tomatoes
- 2 – 14.5 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes
- 1-2 tablespoons of sugar
- Fresh Basil
- Crushed Hot Pepper
- Clean all of the seafood, including scrubbing the shells of the clams and mussels.
- De-vein the shrimp.
- Set all of the seafood aside in the refrigerator.
- Steam the clams and mussels in garlic, wine, butter.
- Strain the juices from the clams and mussels and add to the sauce.
- Fry the calamari just before adding and pour in with the oil.
- Put the clams and mussels aside.
- Lightly brown the garlic in oil.
- Add the full can of white clam sauce.
- Add the strained clams.
- Bring to a light boil.
- Add all of the Tomatoes and the Sugar, turn the heat down to medium low.
- Add fresh basil to taste
- Add Crushed Hot Pepper to taste.
- Let simmer at least 2 hours over low to medium heat.
- Relax, have a glass of wine, smile, say hello to your friends…..
- One hour before serving – Lobster Tails
- 30 minutes before serving – add the Calamari
- 15 minutes before serving – add the steamed clams and mussels
- 10 minutes before serving – add the Shrimp and Fresh Fish.
- Serve over 2 – 3 pounds of fresh linguine.
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Dom DeLuise’s Marinara Sauce
- Makes 2 quarts
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil
- 5 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 medium onion minced.
- 2 28oz cans peeled tomatoes, cut
- 1 6oz can tomato paste
- 4 tbsp sun dried tomatoes
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- In a deep 10” fry pan, heat oil and saute the garlic and onion.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste and sundried tomatoes.
- Put on medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stir occassionally.
- Tear basil leaves into small pieces and sprinkle on top after adding to pasta.
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Crab & Ricotta Canneloni (Note: the Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed shells are the exact same recipe, just switching out the Crab for Spinach to make it a vegetarian friendly dish.)
- 1 box (8 ounces) cannelloni or manicotti pasta (about 12 shells)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2tbs Butter
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 pound Snow or King Crab meat (Lump Crab from Costco is awesome for this)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
NOTE: We cook and stuff the pasta a day in advance, bake on Xmas Eve.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the box. NOTE: Carefully remove the pasta from the water, they split easily when cooked.
- Shred the Crab Meat.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and saute the garlic. Add the crab meat and toss for approx. 1 minute or so to heat up and absorb the butter / garlic.
- In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg yolk, basil, crab, salt, and pepper. Using an espresso spoon, fill the cannelloni with the crab mixture and place in a buttered baking dish. If preparing in advance, cover and place in the refrigerator.
Bechamel Sauce (note: Sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped.
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, toss in the garlic and cook for approx. 1 minute.
- Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy, about 10 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and pepper.
- If necessary, saute a little more garlic in butter and add to the sauce. (The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool and then cover and refrigerate.)
To Serve: PreHeat Oven to 350 Degrees.
Top the filled cannelloni with the Bechamel Sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Randall’s Ordinary Scallops (Randall’s Ordinary was a fantastic restaurant in Mystic, CT)- 2 bunches scallions, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Paprika
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch pepper
- 4 ounces (1 stick) butter
- 2 pounds scallops
- Seasoned breadcrumbs to coat
- Mix scallions, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper together.
- In a sauté pan, melt butter. When butter is melted, add sauté scallion mixture.
- In a separate bowl, coat the scallops with bread crumbs. Add the coated scallops to the sauté mixture. Stir and cook about 2 – 4 minutes.
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Crock Pot Italian Sausage
- 5 lbs Italian sausage, in casings
- 4 large green peppers, sliced
- 3 large onions, sliced
- 1 -2 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 ounces tomato puree
- 14 ounces tomato sauce
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Cut sausage into 4 or 5″ pieces and brown on all sides in batches in skillet.
- Saute peppers, onions, and garlic in drippings.
- Combine tomato puree, sauce, and paste in bowl.
- Add seasonings and sugar.
- Layer half of sausage, onions, and peppers in 6qt cooker.
- Cover with half the tomato mixture. Repeat layers. Cover.
- Cook on high 1 hour and low 5-6 hours.
- Serve as a side item, on rolls or tossed with the pasta of your choice.
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Spinach and Ricotta Shells with Bechamel Sauce (I serve this in the shells to easily differentiate the crab and vegetarian versions of this dish, though you could use the same Cannelonni shells as the Crab)
24 shells
- 1 box (12 ounces) of Jumbo Shells
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 4 tbs Butter
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 bags of Spinach (6 or 8oz bags)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
NOTE: We cook and stuff the pasta a day in advance, bake on Xmas Eve.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the box. NOTE: Carefully remove the pasta from the water, they split easily when cooked.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and saute the garlic. Add the spinach approx. 1/2 bag at a time and cook down. Approx. 4 minutes for all.
- In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg yolk, basil, spinach, salt, and pepper. Using an espresso spoon, fill the cannelloni with the crab mixture and place in a buttered baking dish. If preparing in advance, cover and place in the refrigerator.
Bechamel Sauce (note: Sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped.
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, toss in the garlic and cook for approx. 1 minute.
- Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy, about 10 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil).
- Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and pepper.
- If necessary, saute a little more garlic in butter and add to the sauce. (The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool and then cover and refrigerate.)
To Serve: PreHeat Oven to 350 Degrees.
Top the filled shells with the Bechamel Sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Alton Brown’s Shrimp Cocktail (I worked on the series for 5 years so of course I have to have an AB recipe in here!)
His full recipe is here on the Food Network website and it’s the brine that seems to really make the difference. However I actually cook my shrimp on the grill instead. Medium heat on the grill, 2 minutes first side, 1 minute second side. This also makes an insane grilled shrimp if you eat them right off the grill.
Cooking tip: I cook these a day in advance, but leave the shells on the shrimp and put them in the fridge. Then clean them the morning of Christmas Eve before prepping them to serve. Keeping them in the shells overnight seems to help keep the shrimp moist and retains more of the olive oil flavor.
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Salmon Baked in Foil
This is a Giada recipe from the Food Network as well. SUPER simple to make. Be sure to cook this just prior to serving. Serve each person their own foil pouch.
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Cauliflower Sformato
This is a brand new recipe for me in 2013 and it comes from La Cucina Italiana Magazine. This makes an incredible presentation at the table and if you have trouble getting your kids to eat vegetables, try this on them. Don’t tell them it’s cauliflower!
Serving Tip: Make these either in the morning or the day before. You MUST let these cool completely before you try to flip it out of the pan. Reheat and just before serving, top with more breadcrumb and broil to brown it up.
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Broccoli Rabe with Chili and Garlic.
I got this one from the same La Cucina Italiana article. If you can, definitely make this a day in advance of your meal or at least a few hours in advance. The garlic really blends in the more the dish has a chance to sit.
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Cioppolini’s and Potatoes (Cioppolini’s are small Italian onions)
- 2 lbs of Cippiolinis, cleaned and halved (Can substitute Pearl Onions)
- 6 med-large Red Potatoes, cleaned and sliced
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves, sliced
- Salt to taste
- Crushed Red Pepper to taste
- Paprika to taste
- Fry the onions in the oil over medium heat
- Add the sliced Potatoes and cook for a few minutes covered.
- Add the Garlic and Salt.
- Add the Red Pepper and Paprika.
- Stir often Cook approx. 10 minutes depending on the depth of the pan and how many potatoes you have in there, could take a bit longer. Keep the cover on during the entire cooking process.
We make these a day in advance and reheat, covered, in the oven.
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Tortoni (basically an Italian light ice cream)
- 1/4 cup almonds, sliced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups macaroon crumbs (an 8oz container of macaroons makes approx. 2 cups of crumbs)
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 candied cherries (optional)
- Spread out almonds on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 325 degree oven for 3 minutes. Turn tray around, toss nuts with a metal spatula and toast for another 3 minutes.
- Cut the macaroons in quarters, then toss into a food processor or chopper and process into crumbs.
- In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of cream, the macaroon crumbs and confectioners’ sugar.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Mix in the rum and vanilla and chill for another 30 minutes.
- Whip the remaining 1 cup of cream to soft peaks and fold into the macaroon mixture.
- Divide the mixture among eight 4-ounce paper cups.
- Top with the almonds and cherries, if desired.
- Cover with foil and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.
(Can be made up to 3 days in advance. Be sure to tightly cover with foil)