Zuppa di Pesce: The Feast of the Seven Fishes

The Feast of the Seven Fishes,  (representing the seven sacraments), is one of the great Christmas Eve food traditions in America's Northeast corridor.  A seven-course extravaganza that includes seafood salads, fried, steamed, baked, and raw fish, to a perfect zuppa, it’s a tour de force and a tradition enjoyed by any and all denominations, humanists, and atheists alike at my restaurants.

The secret of a good zuppa is making a great seafood broth base and then timing the cooking of the seafood so you don’t overcook anything! This is best served over light pasta like thin spaghetti or angel hair, or just served with a loaf of good Italian bread.

serves 6

8 hardhell blue crabs or two 1.25 pound lobsters

1 pound cleaned calamari, cut into thick rings

8 0z caned crabmeat, claw meat is fine here.

18-24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, peels reserved

18-24 medium dry pack sea scallops

18-24 littleneck clams (scrubbed)

30 mussels (scrubbed and debearded)

1 ½ lbs firm white fish filet, cut into 6 pieces (Alaskan cod,hake or pollock are good sustainable choices)

extra virgin olive oil as needed

2 cups dry white wine

2 cups clam juice (buy a quality, chemical-free brand)

1 small can tomato paste

6 tablespoon onion, diced small

4 cloves garlic, sliced thin

4 cups canned plum tomatoes pureed in a food processor

One small can tomato puree

2 bay leaves

crushed red pepper to taste

good dried Sicilian oregano

Italian parsley galore

Salt to taste

To make the “Zuppa Sauce” stock.

Parcook the crabs/lobsters.

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. 

To clean crab, Drop the crabs in and cook for 3 minutes, remove and rinse with cold water. to cool. Use scissors to remove the face. Pull off the back and remove the “dead man’s fingers” or gills.

For lobster, boil for 5 minutes. Cool under cold running water. Crack the shells and remove and reserve the meat. Reserve the shells.

In a heavy pot add some olive oil. 

If using lobsters, break the shells and remove the tail, claw, and knuckle meat and reserve. Sauté the shells until bright red. Use a potato masher and try to break them up a bit.

 If using crab, add the crabs and reserved shrimp peels and season lightly with salt. 

Sizzle in the oil until they are bright red,

Add the shrimp shells  and saute until they are are bright pink.

Add the tomato paste and fry it in good.

Add one cup of the white wine and cook at a brisk boil for 3-4 minutes. Add about 12 mussels and the clam juice and enough water to cover everything by an inch or so,

Bring to a boil then reduce for a simmer and cook for at least one hour to build your stock. 

Strain and set aside, Discard the shells, but if you are using crab, you can set them aside and add to your sauce.

In a heavy pot add enough olive oil to saute the onions.

Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and shiny but not brown.

Add the plum tomatoes and the can of tomato puree.

Add the bay leaves and a pinch of crushed red pepper and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Now add the reserved stock and simmer another 20 minutes.

You now have a deep seafood-infused tomato base for the zuppa without having overcooked your fish! Keep this sauce warm or reheat it before getting ready to finish the dish.

Assembling the Zuppa... Timing is everything!

OK—get this. 

The clams take the longest to cook. 

Then the fish filet. 

Then the scallops and shrimp and finally the canned crab, lobster meat, mussels and squid. 

Respect your seafood!

Use a heavy pot  with a lid for this. If you are serving pasta for this, have it ready. Don’t make the fish wait for the pasta.

Add enough olive oil to coat the pan generously. Turn up to high heat.

Bring your sauce to a low boil.

Add the clams and your fish filet, cover and cook until the just start to open, In about three minutes take a peek under the lid. If they are still not opening give it another minutes. If you see a few opening you are ready for the next layer of seafood. 

Now add your shrimp and scallops, cook one more minute and add the mussels and cover. Now cook one MORE minute hard, then add the calamari (and cooked lobster meat) and cook ONE MORE MINUTE!  Add a fistful of chopped parsley and some more oregano and cover. Turn off the heat–you did cover it right?–and let it all gently steam for 5 more minutes before serving.

Ladle over pasta or into big bowls served with plenty of bread. Serve olio santo on the side (see recipe below).

Olio Santo

1 large fresh, long hot pepper, stemmed and cut into half-inch pieces

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

pinch of salt

In a small pot, cover the pepper with oil.

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow pepper to steep in the oil.

Drizzle…