Feast of the Seven Fishes

We have always celebrated Christmas Eve in our house with a seafood Dinner.  I discovered this year that it is known in Italian households as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Who knew.

La Viglia di Natale

On December 24, Italian families all over the world gather together for La Viglia di Natale--the Christmas vigil--where fish is on the menu instead of meat. Also called The Feast of the Seven Fishes, the ritual of La Viglia has been handed down from generation to generation over the centuries.

Found on allrecipes.com

Here is our menu.  

Appetizers

Shrimp Cocktail

Smoked Salmon w/ Dill cream cheese

Crab stuffed mushrooms

Main Course

Mixed Green Salad

Cajun Shrimp on a bed of rice

Bacon Wrapped Scallops (Bacon is a vegetable in our house)

Shrimp Tempura and Wonton Shrimp

Braised Kale

Dessert

Cookie from the cookie exchange

Snack 

Later in the evening we will serve a Cheese Tray made with an array of local cheese and crackers with my homemade pickles.  

The photo above is from a comic/cookbook.  There was a comic strip back in 1983 about an Italian Family preparing for Christmas Eve Dinner.