Merry Fishmas: 6 Ideas For a Christmas Seafood Feast

With Christmas right around the corner, serving a seafood feast for your festive family dinner might be a little unconventional. That is, unless you are celebrating the Italian-American tradition, Feast of the Seven Fishes, which involves seven seafood or fish dishes prepared seven different ways. The tradition comes from Southern Italy, where it is known as La Vigilia and commemorates the midnight birth of baby Jesus. It was then brought to the United States by South Italian immigrants in the late 1800s.

But unique traditions aside, fresh seafood during Christmas in Singapore can be a refreshing yet delicious change for the whole family. Skip the usual roast turkey and glazed ham and opt for a healthy, protein-packed Christmas seafood feast instead.  Here are some Christmas dinner ideas for you to enjoy with your loved ones!

1. Seafood Chowder

This chunky, creamy soup is the perfect start to your Christmas feast and takes under 30 minutes to make.

The key ingredients are a fish like salmon or haddock, some shellfish, and potatoes, but you can go crazy and experiment with all the different herbs and spices to see what works for you!

2. Herb-Roasted Salmon

Elegant and healthy, herb-roasted salmon can act as a centrepiece for your Christmas seafood feast. Taking less than 30 minutes to cook, this dish is a favourite for seafood lovers.

Use seasonings like dill, parsley, butter, and garlic with some salt and lemon juice to truly bring out the flavours in the salmon fillets. Go crazy and experiment with herbs to see what works for you!

Place the seasoned fillets onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 425°C for about 15 minutes, then enjoy the delicious, healthy main!

3. Shrimp Scampi

Prawns are low in saturated fat and a healthy source of complete protein. Nutritionists and medical professionals often recommend prawns and other crustaceans as part of a balanced diet. While the classic shrimp scampi calls for a simple garlic, butter, and white wine sauce, you can experiment with different herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, and parsley.

The same sauce can be added to any type of pasta, though spaghetti, angel hair and linguine are most commonly used. In the place of pasta, shrimp scampi can also be served with crusty bread!

4. Crispy Fried Calamari

An oldie but a goodie, crispy fried calamari makes an excellent side dish to the main Christmas feast. The squid is coated with batter and fried to golden-brown perfection and can be served with a variety of dipping sauces.

When frying calamari, do not cut the rings too thinly, or they might overcook and go all rubbery. To tenderise the squid before frying, soak the cut rings into a solution of salted milk for 30 minutes before cooking. The batter can be made in a mixture of flour, cornstarch and baking powder.

When frying, make sure to heat the oil thoroughly. If the oil temperature is too low, the calamari will absorb the oil and become soggy and rubbery.

5. Mussels in Tomato & Garlic Broth

Get a taste of the Mediterranean with mussels in a tomato and garlic broth!

Melt butter in a cooking pot, adding onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, wine, and a garnish like parsley.

Add mussels last and simmer until all shells are open. This delicious dish pairs well with bread but can also go with pasta or risotto.

6. Grilled Lobster Tails  

Go fancy and serve grilled lobster tails at your Christmas feast! Preparing fresh lobster at home might seem intimidating, but it is easier than you think.

Prepare a seasoning consisting of melted butter, lemon juice, zest, parsley, garlic, and salt. Brush your seasoning mix all over the cut tails and add it whenever you flip the lobsters. Lobster tails can be served with red pepper flakes, lemon, and parsley.

Let Greenwood Fish Market Plan Your Christmas Feast

Ready to get started on your Christmas feast? Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, we’ve got a fantastic Christmas lineup to usher in the holiday cheer at Greenwood Fish Market! Save yourself a trip to the seafood market and shop at our online store for fresh seafood delivery nationwide in Singapore. Don’t forget to check out our tips for cooking restaurant-quality seafood dinners at home too!

Out of Christmas dinner ideas? Make a reservation at our seafood restaurant, and let us cook up a memorable Christmas feast just for you!