I grew up between two very different Christmas Eve celebrations. On my father’s side – the Italian one – the night was a marathon of dishes and arguments over how the squid should be cooked. On my mother’s Scotch-English side, things were quieter and much more restrained: a perfectly roasted beef and Yorkshire pudding on the good china. Depending on which relatives we were visiting, the experience was night and day.
So 40 years ago, when I started my own family and began crafting my own Christmas hosting traditions, I chose to celebrate Christmas Eve the Italian American way, with the Feast of the Seven Fishes, because it was the most wonderful celebration I knew. It wasn’t just about the food, it was about the feeling: The rhythm of the kitchen, the chaos of a crowd to feed, the clatter of pans, the women – always the women – commanding it all like an orchestra.
The Origins of La Vigilia
The Feast of the Seven Fishes, also known as la vigilia (the vigil), is one of the most enduring Italian American food traditions. Observant Catholics once abstained from meat on the eve of a feast day, which meant they’d be eating seafood the evening before Christmas. In coastal southern Italy, that meant eel, which was rich and nutritious yet widely available and affordable. So when those Italians arrived in America – many settling near harbors and coastal cities – they found an astonishing abundance: Fish, lobster, squid, oysters, clams, crabs, and shrimp were plentiful and cheap. Even the poorest families could create a lavish meal that felt like a miracle, and so the tradition persisted.
No one can quite agree on why it is seven fishes – some say for the seven sacraments, others for the seven days of creation – but the history hardly matters at this point. What endures is the ritual: gathering, cooking, eating, giving thanks. A meal that honors both poverty and plenty.
In Italian American culture, it was the women who brought the Feast of the Seven Fishes celebration to America and banded together to produce this feast. In old tenement buildings, they’d gather in one apartment to clean the fish, in another to roll ravioli, and finally retreat to their own small kitchens to serve their own feasts. I find that so moving. Like Shabbat in the Jewish community, it was a collective act of care, a ritual that bound people together week after week, generation after generation.
Bringing the Feast into Modern Life
It’s true that traditionally La Vigilia is sprawling – fried eels, stuffed squid, linguine with clams, baked shrimp, roasted fish, and endless sides. Today, most of us don’t have an army of aunts or a week to prepare. But what matters to me is that the spirit of the meal remains: abundance, gratitude, and togetherness.
My favorite way to honor the tradition now is with my Seven Fishes Seafood Stew from my latest book, Mother Sauce: Italian American Family Recipes and the Story of the Women who Created Them, a modern interpretation that condenses the entire feast into one glorious pot. The key is the broth – a deep, fragrant stock that can be made a few days ahead. That’s where all the flavor and effort live.
Then, just a few hours before dinner, I’ll heat the broth, taste for seasoning, and – just before serving – drop in a mix of whatever seafood I’ve been able to find: shrimp, scallops, mussels, chunks of white fish, maybe a few clams or crab legs. It’s different every year, depending on what looks good at the market.
I serve the stew ladled over ridged penne, the way they do in some of my favorite old-school seafood joints in San Francisco. The pasta soaks up the broth like an olive in a martini, and when you reach the bottom of the bowl, it feels like finding a secret. Add a simple salad of winter greens and a loaf of garlic-herb bread for dunking, and you’ve got the essence of La Vigilia without losing your mind in the kitchen.
A Feast Worth Celebrating
What I love most about this meal – about all these enduring foodways – is that they connect us to something bigger. To the women who once stood elbow to elbow, cooking for their families and neighbors. To the immigrants who built new lives while holding onto old rituals. And to the sense of comfort that comes from feeding people you love, with whatever you have.
Feasting days like this one, that bring us to the table and make us feel good, are at the core of how the Italian American community built its beloved cuisine. They remind us that food is not just nourishment; it’s memory, faith, and generosity. And at Christmas, there’s no greater gift than that.
Seven Fishes Seafood Stew (Cioppino)
Ingredients (serves 6-8)
- Two 1-pound (455 g) live lobsters
- About ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 cup (120 g) finely chopped onion
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 anchovies
- 2 preserved Calabrian chilies, minced, or 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ cup (180 ml) white or red wine
- 4 cups (950 ml) canned whole tomatoes (from about one and half 28-ounce/800 g cans), finely chopped or pureed
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- 1 pound (455 g) ridged penne pasta
- 12 cockles, Manila clams, or small little necks, cleaned
- 12 small mussels, cleaned
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 sprig fresh oregano
- 8 ounces (230 g) monkfish or other firm-fleshed white fish fillet, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
- 8 ounces (230 g) sea or bay scallops (cut sea scallops in half if using)
- 8 ounces (230 g) rock shrimp or small shelled shrimp
- About 5 ounces (140 g) cleaned squid, bodies cut into thin rings, tentacles cut into bite-sized pieces Kosher salt Warmed sourdough bread for serving
Method
- Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water into a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a boil. Add the lobsters, cover, and steam for 13 minutes. Remove the cooked lobsters and let cool slightly, until you can handle them.
- Strain the broth through a cheesecloth or kitchen towel–lined sieve set over a bowl and reserve it. Remove the lobster meat from the tails, claws, and knuckles; reserve all the shells. Let the meat cool, then cover and refrigerate.
- Heat a medium pot over high heat and swirl in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shallots and the reserved lobster shells, stirring to coat them in oil, and cook until the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the lobster broth and enough water to cover, bring to a simmer, and simmer for an hour or two (the longer, the better, for deeper flavor).
- Strain the lobster broth through a cheesecloth or kitchen towel–lined sieve into another pot and discard the solids. Simmer the broth to reduce it to 4 cups (950 ml). (This can be done up to 1 day in advance; store the broth in a sealed container in the fridge.)
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and swirl in 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil. Add the onions and cook slowly until lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes; add the garlic in the last 2 minutes. Stir in the anchovies, chilies (or chili paste or flakes), and tomato paste and cook, mashing the anchovies into a paste as they cook and scraping the bottom of the pot, a couple of minutes.
- Add the wine, stirring to deglaze the pot. Add the tomatoes, the reserved lobster broth, and the basil, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. (The brothy sauce can be made up to a day in advance, covered once cool, and refrigerated. Return the sauce to a clean pot and bring to a simmer when ready to serve.)
- Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before cooking, remove all the raw seafood from the refrigerator and place on a platter to bring to room temperature. Cut the lobster meat into large, bite-sized pieces (leave small claws whole).
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the penne, and cook until 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft but with a firm chew to it. Drain the noodles, transfer to a bowl, toss with a little olive oil, and cover to keep warm.
- Submerge the clams, mussels, and oregano in the simmering tomato sauce. After 3 minutes, add the monkfish and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully fold in the scallops, rock shrimp, and cooked lobster and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the squid and stir gently for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and season the sauce to taste with salt. It should be slightly spicy; add more chili if necessary.
- To serve, divide the penne among warmed serving bowls and ladle the stew over the top, including some of each type of fish/seafood in each portion. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately, with warm bread.
Lobster Fra Diavolo
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
- Three 1½-pound (680 g) live lobsters
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 shallots, minced ½ cup (120 ml) white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns, crushed
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- A 28-ounce (800 g) can whole tomatoes
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 pound (455 g) spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Toasted breadcrumbs for serving
Method
- Bring 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water to a boil in an extra-large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the lobsters, cover, and steam for 13 minutes.
- Remove the lobsters from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth- or kitchen towel–lined sieve set over a large bowl or other container and reserve. When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the tails, claws, and knuckles (you should have 4 cups/1 kg meat).
- Crack the lobster shells into smaller pieces. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and swirl in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the shells and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the wine, then add the reserved lobster steaming liquid, bay leaf, peppercorns, and enough water to fully cover the shells. Bring to a simmer, and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Skim any foam from the top of the broth and strain the broth through a cheesecloth- or kitchen towel–lined sieve into a bowl; you should have 4 to 6 cups (950 ml to 1.5 L) broth. Measure out 2 cups (475 ml) of the broth for this recipe and freeze the remaining broth in a resealable container to use for another soup or a sauce recipe.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and stir until light golden, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and the reserved lobster broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, mashing the tomatoes in the pan as they soften and break down. Add the oregano and lobster meat to the sauce in the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking, just to heat the lobster through.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the spaghetti, and cook until 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft but with a chew to it. Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the sauce along with the butter and toss and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, adding some of the reserved pasta water as necessary for the desired consistency. Serve in warm bowls, topping each with a drizzle of olive oil, some red pepper flakes, and toasted breadcrumbs
Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
- 24 small clams such as littleneck, Pismo, or sweet butter, cleaned
- 1 pound (455 g) spaghetti or linguine
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (340 g) grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced crosswise
- ½ cup (120 ml) white wine
- 2 fresh basil sprigs, plus ¼ cup (15 g) basil leaves, torn, for serving
- 1 recipe Crispy Savory Breadcrumbs
Method
- Put the clams in a large pot, add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water, and cover tightly. Steam over high heat until the shells open, 3 to 5 minutes. As the clams open, transfer them to a bowl (some will take longer than others). If any of the clams do not open eventually, discard them. Leave the clams in their shells. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth- or kitchen towel–lined sieve set over a bowl and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the spaghetti, and cook until 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft but with a firm chew to it. Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water, drain the spaghetti, transfer to a bowl, and toss some olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Swirl in the olive oil, add the garlic and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic begins to turn golden on the edges, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they just begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom, and simmer until the sauce has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the clam broth and bring to a simmer, then fold in the clams.
- Add the noodles, reserved pasta water, and basil sprigs to the sauce and heat, shaking the pan and tossing the pasta, until it is fully coated with the sauce. Discard the basil sprigs and serve the pasta in bowls, topping each with a drizzle of olive oil, a handful of the toasted breadcrumbs, and some torn fresh basil leaves.
A Cook's Legacy is our six-part series with award-winning cookbook author, Lucinda Scala Quinn, exploring the family, food, and cultural memory that inspired her latest cookbook, Mother Sauce, through her beloved culinary voice.
