The Feast of the Seven Fishes at Eolo, NYC

 

Ciao mei amici! Having been involved in the food world for not even two years, I have been fortunate enough to connect with some amazing chefs, restaurateurs, etc. One of them is Chef Melissa Muller Daka, Proprietress of Pastai and Eolo, both in NYC. I had the pleasure to first meet Melissa at a private luncheon at Eataly that she planned the menu for. You may remember she was one of the first interviews I ever posted, you can read it here.

At her beautiful restaurant, Eolo in NYC, she will be hosting her fourth annual “Feast of the Seven Fishes” on Christmas Eve, December 24^th. For those not familiar with the idea of - The Feast of the Seven Fishes – referred to in Italian as La Vigilia – the tradition began in southern Italy and today is celebrated by Italians around the world. There are various myths about the significance of offering seven fishes. Some believe seven fishes refer to the seven days of creation, while others cite the Seven Hills of Rome, seven sacraments in the Catholic Church or the seven deadly sins.

Their five course menu will include: A welcoming dish from the chef, your choice of a cold appetizer, hot appetizer, pasta, entree & dessert. Each course ...will offer three dishes to choose from.

 

 

Wine Pairing will also be available with each dish. For reservations, you can call 646.225.6606. If you’re looking for a different way to spend Christmas Eve or if you just don’t want to worry about the cooking this year, this is certainly the event for you. The beautiful dishes you see here are Scallops, Swordfish, Halibut and Couscous and Pasta con le Sarde, listed in the order shown. For further information, be sure to take a look at the Eolo site. If you do go to Eolo, be sure to tell Chef Melissa that La Cucina Prima Donna sent you! Buon Natale a tutti!!

 

Fish...glorious fish in bella Firenze

Ciao a tutti! The past week at Giglio Cooking School has been incredible. I spend three and a half hours every morning doing what I love…cooking!! But I’m doing so much more than just cooking. I’m learning completely new things, different techniques and preparations. The other day I cleaned and gutted a fish for the first time. I know I shouldn’t be as excited about that as I am, but I can’t help it. I love all aspects of food, from the prep to the final product. Next week we’re doing a full class devoted to one of my favorite pastas…GNOCCHI!! This past week we did a lot of fish so I wanted to share some of the lovely dishes we’ve made. Ciao ciao for now!!

 Steamed Shrimp with Shrimp Sauce

 

his is a lovely preparation for shrimp. The sauce is made with garlic, onion, olive oil and the shells and heads of the shrimp. Wine, a little water and parsley are added, as well as a little starch to thicken the sauce.

 

Risotto with Shrimp

 

A very classic dish, beautifully made risotto with some butter, wine, garlic, parsley and shrimp.

 

Shellfish Soup

 

If you grew up in an Italian household, odds are, at some point you had a take on this dish. Mussels and clams served in a light tomato broth served with crunchy, grilled bread.

 

Raw Marinated Salmon and Celery Root Soufflé

 

 

 

I have to admit, this take on salmon was completely new for me. I’ve never tried raw fish in this form, but I’m on an adventure and this is all part of it. The flavor was delicious. The salmon was marinated with oregano, fennel, salt, sugar, orange zest and peppercorn. I just don’t care for the texture of raw fish. This was served alongside a lovely Celery Root Soufflé that I can’t wait to add to my usual repertoire.

 

Sea Bream with Artichokes

 

This was a perfect fish for me, not very strong, just the way I like it. The fish was sautéed with olive oil, salt, parsley, garlic, white wine and artichokes which were cooked to perfection. I think I have learned the trick to preparing and cooking the perfect artichokes, I promise I will share it with you all soon!

 

BUON APPETITO!!