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Home ยป appetizers

Feast Your Eyes On the 7 Fishes

Published: Dec 23, 2013 ยท Modified: May 5, 2025 by Lisa Keys ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 8 Comments

Last Updated on May 5, 2025 by Lisa Keys

Feast your eyes on pasta with fresh clams.

Feast your eyes on the 7 fishes pasta with fresh clams.

When I think about William I think about how much he loved to fish and hunt. While cooking is my therapy I do believe fishing and hunting was his. He loved everything about being in nature and had a great respect for it. He only took from the waters and the forest what he knew he could eat and the rest was returned unharmed.

Will had amazing vision and often could spy the fish underwater, the deer camouflaged in the brush and the hawk way up high in the trees. We'd be walking a trail when all of a sudden he would spread his arms silently commanding everyone to halt. And then he would point towards some wonderful creature that we otherwise would have missed. It was impressive.........

Feast your eyes on Will holding a shark that he caught.
1 fish
Feast your eyes on Will and 6 fish.

And it was shocking to later learn from his Navy physical that he was color-blind. This disqualified him from his life-long dream of becoming a SEAL. Awe-too bad so sad thought his mother...and the gene for color blindness is passed from mother to son, so it was kind of all my fault.

Truly, I felt bad, but at the same time was hopeful that he could do something a little less dangerous. The joke was on me as he later trained in field medicine and became part of the elite Scout Sniper Platoon. Those guys are bad-ass and Will was a natural fit.

Hooked rug with fish and flags.
from his room

It's Christmas Eve tomorrow and I sure am missing my son and those gorgeous, loving color-blind eyes. He loved the feast of the 7 fishes and he would be right beside me in the kitchen taste testing everything. Tomorrow we will have smoked salmon, crab cakes, seared scallops, shrimp fra diavalo, grilled salmon, calamari and baccala. A feast for the eyes, I love keeping this Italian family tradition alive as much as I love honoring William here on this blog. I know he is here in spirit baiting my hook and rowing the boat.

Feast your eyes on baccala salad.

Probably every Italian family has their own version of dried cod fish salad because there really is no right or wrong except when it comes to rehydrating the salted dried fish. It takes a good 3 days of soaking the fish in cold water changing the water daily. Then just boil it, flake it and start adding the goodness. Lots of fresh lemon juice, fresh chopped parsley, capers, chopped cured black olives, chopped sweet and fiery vinegar peppers, celery, good EVOO and anchovies.

Merry Christmas everybody. May you have peace in your heart and be surrounded by all those you love.

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  1. Karen Harris

    December 23, 2013 at 9:50 pm

    I am so sorry that I never met Will, he sounds like such a wonderful young man. I love the fact that he returned what he didn't need back to nature unharmed. I know that you will be missing him greatly this Christmas. It looks like you have a wonderful celebration planned. I know that he is very proud of you for sharing you thoughts and recipes.

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      December 24, 2013 at 8:31 am

      A few of my recipe cooking contester friends have met William. I will never forget when Marge Fortier of National Chicken Cook-off fame came up to me and complimented me on what a nice boy he was. We were both at the Delmarva cook-off and as I went up to the podium to receive a prize he said to all the other contestants sitting at the table..."your recipes are just as good as my mom's, but she just got lucky today." He was a real sweetheart and so easy to celebrate here.

      Reply
  2. Cathy

    December 23, 2013 at 10:27 pm

    Although we do not have the 7 fishes, every Portuguese home you entered at Christmas had Bacalhau, dried cod fish. As did the Italians of which you write, we Portuguese had different versions Those from the Continent made it casserole style layered with potatoes. As for my ancestors, they were from the Azores Islands. My beloved mother made hers similar to that which you describe. Soaking and rinsing for several days. I cannot remember what she added to it other than onions. Served cold on a Portuguese Pop (bun) was the way to eat it. I will admit I did not partake of that particular tradition given that I was not nor am I a "fish" person.(Which made me wonder at times if I was adopted?). But I revere that tradition and would love to be sitting in my mother's kitchen watching her prepare,
    with love, the Christmas Bacalhau .

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      December 24, 2013 at 8:33 am

      I think I could love the Portuguese version of just about any fish dish especially if it was prepared by your mom's loving hands. I can picture you sitting in her kitchen taking it all in.

      Reply
  3. James matino

    December 24, 2013 at 8:26 am

    5 stars
    I love baccala salad. i am going to try to make it

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      December 24, 2013 at 8:42 am

      Here is a big hint so you don't have to buy multiple jars of olives and pickled peppers---go to the olive bar at your local Fresh Market or Whole Foods....maybe other markets have the same...and just buy a few of each thing--great variety and you can pick and choose the items most tasty to you. Grab some of the brine, too--it is essential

      Reply
  4. Carol Walsh

    December 24, 2013 at 10:16 am

    Just tears now as I read this...missing that boy so much. He was the "crab whisperer" in RI, I treasure those days with him.

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      December 24, 2013 at 11:26 am

      He loved to forage for his food and yes, those blue crabs were unbelievable. Remember that night we feasted on crab cakes and flounder that the boys caught on the deep sea excursion.....sigh

      Reply

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