who here will have fish later today for Christmas eve?

[pres2032]

we'll have a traditional Italian dinner with spagetti, smelts, and bockala

[Pooka Fey]

1. My dad would always make fried oyster sandwiches for Christmas Eve.

They are a Louisiana delicacy. Later on we would all go to midnight mass. I never liked fried oysters enough to make them myself. I make vegetarian enchiladas instead. Merry Christmas! :-)

[pres2032]

2. ooo, that sounds good!

i'll be going to the 7pm mass to hear my dad sing in the choir, then i'll be playing handbells for the midnight mass!

[Pooka Fey]

3. Who is doing the cooking then? :-)

[pres2032]

4. my grandmother!

she's the best cook ever! she invites everyone over for every big holiday and cooks all the dinners!

[Pooka Fey]

6. Sweet! An Italian grandmother's Christmas cooking!

Can't beat that! Hey Pres2032! You totally saved my butt during finals 2 weeks ago, because you answered my survey at around 3 a.m. so I could turn in my last minute research project --- I ending up pulling a B in that class. Thanks again! :toast:

[pres2032]

18. hey, you're welcome!

anything i could do to help. glad you got a B! :party: :toast:


Merry Christmas!

[Pooka Fey]

20. Merry Christmas Pres2032 to you, and your cute grinning puppy dog!

How was Christmas Eve dinner? Did your grandmother come through on the awesome feast?

[Rowdyboy]

7. I would have loved your dad....

I'm having Christmas lunch with strangers mainly because they're serving fried oysters...

[Pooka Fey]

9. Well now I'm thinking I should give fried oysters another try

with my grown up tastebuds. I used to never like my mom's bread pudding either when I was a kid, but now it's MMM MMMM MMMMM. But I make mine with a whisky sauce.
Merry Christmas RowdyBoy. :toast:

[Rowdyboy]

10. Merry Christmas!

And do give oysters another shot. Fried, they are like little jewel-stones, bursting with taste and texture. They're almost as good in soup. I have an oyster and artichoke soup recipe that is quite possibly the finest food I have ever eaten-let me know if you'd like a copy.

[Pooka Fey]

15. Thanks RB, I'll try them fried first. Oysters and Artichokes together...

that may be a bit too sophisticated for my palate just yet. :-)

[goodbody]

17. Rowdyboy, I would love a copy of that recipe!

That sounds divine! Please post it.

We're having lasagna tonight, but a lot of times we do have fish or a simple seafood dinner like shrimp and crab with sourdough bread and a Ceasar salad.

Merry Christmas to everyone. We were going to the midnight mass, but maybe the 10 pm will be better.

[Rowdyboy]

19. Here you go...

2 12 oz containers fresh oysters
1/2 c finely chopped shallots
bay leaf
1/2 t red pepper
inch of thyme
3 T butter, melted
2 T all purpose flour
1 14 oz can chicken broth (I use homemade)
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and cut into 1/8ths
1 T chopped parsley
1/2 c whipping cream
hot sauce

Drain oysters, reserving liquid. Quarter oysters. Saute shallots and next 3 ingredients in butter until tender. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, one minute.Gradually add broth and oyster liquid, stirring occasionally, fifteen minutes. Remove bay leaf. Add oysters, artichokes, parsley, salt and hot sauce. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in whipping cream and cook until heated.

[PittPoliSci]

5. i just had smoked salmon.

raw.

it was disgusting.

[Rowdyboy]

8. Its definitely an acquired taste....

and one that I have not yet "acquired"

[Robeson]

11. Is this a Catholic cultural thing. I didn't know fish was a "pre" ...

...Christmas dish. Waz up?

[Pooka Fey]

12. Christmas Eve is a "fish" day. Yes, it's a Catholic thing.

Back in the old days, every Friday was a no-meat/fish only day; and also Christmas Eve, and Good Friday. That's waz up.

[Robeson]

13. Thanks Pooka Fey....

...I'm a heathen. I promise I won't tell any Catholics that fish are meat too! ;-)

[Pooka Fey]

14. Well, I'm really much more of a druid/earth-based spiritualist now

than I am a Catholic. I read that the old Irish druids of the 2nd/3rd century had no problem integrating in some Christian practices, so I'm still hanging on to some old family traditions like the no-meat ;-) Christmas Eve.

[Robeson]

16. Hey, I guess turn about is fair play...

...since Christians coopted all the practices of the old religions, and tagged their names and saints to it. :-)

[fortyfeetunder]

21. We had king salmon...no thought at all to the day

My kid is such a picky eater, when we asked him what would he eat he said salmon, we went and got a good sized hunk of king salmon. I ate like an orca...LOL...