#62 - Host a Feast of the Seven (or more) International Fish Dishes

It's been two months since completing this item and I don't know why it's taken so long to post.  I quite enjoyed completing it.  It turned out to be a...

 "Feast of the Indeterminate Number of Multinational Fishes." 

I tried, but I simply couldn't weed the list down to seven dishes, but I was proud to have gotten down from the original 25 or so to a nice round eleven.  Well, not so round, but at least an odd number which I understand to be required for good luck.  As to the multinational part, I never intended to try to do all Italian dishes, because I'm sure I couldn't pull that off.  So, there was some Mexican, Italian, French, etc. to try to make it interesting

The Menu

Appetizers

Oysters on the Half Shell

 Nicholas provided the oysters from a local San Diego farmer's market.  Raised locally, at Carlsbad Aquafarm, they were small and delicious little morsels, even if inexpertly shucked by yours truly.  They taste like the sea and I mean that in the best of ways.  Must have more.

 

 

Grilled Shrimp on Rosemary Skewers

 Giant shrimp from the local market, with skewers of fresh rosemary from our own front yard.  These are simple, tasty and easy to prep ahead of time, keeping some of the craziness of course coordination to a minimum.

 

 

Potato Blinis with Sour Cream, Dill and Black Caviar

  I didn't follow any particular recipe, just threw things together including some left over mashed potatoes.  The were fun to make and turned out very pretty, if not particularly tasty.

 

 

 Calamari Friti with Fried Zucchini

One of the several courses where I injected some vegan choices into the menu.  The original plan did not call for zucchini, but I didn't want Tee to starve while we all gorged ourselves on seafood.  The calamari recipe is from Giada De Laurentis on Food Network and they are great.

 

 

Catfish Ceviche with Avocado & Tortilla Chips

I love this one!  Catfish is so easy to get ahold of and we have gallons of lime juice from our tree.  Another dish easily made ahead.

Soup

Shrimp and Crab, Black Bean and Corn Chowder Salad

My original plan was for bouillabaisse, but that's not easily veganized.  I switched to this chowder recipe, which was vegan right up until the shrimp and crab were added.  Served a bowl for Tee, then added the seafood and served everyone else.  This is very good, but could easily be a meal in itself.  A little much when combining with ten other dishes.

Salad

Variation on Nicoise with Smoked Trout

This was a nice idea with poor execution.  I had some butterflied trout fillets from the local market, which I smoked in my electric smoker.  The trout went on to what would otherwise have been a Nicoise salad.  Unfortunately, I was so intent on not overcooking my potatoes that they were under cooked.  A little Irish as some would say, although I've never understood that expression.

 

 

Course 1

Local Mussels in Thai Green Curry Sauce with a side of Kimchi

The mussels also came from Nicholas by way of San Diego and Carlsbad Aquafarm.  The kimchi was homemade and didn't necessarly belong along side Thai cuisine, but I like it and it's vegan.  But then, I don't even know if Tee like kimchi.

 

 

Course 2

Salmon Croquettes

This was another dish that I figured would be relatively easy to prepare mostly ahead of serving.  The croquettes were all assembled earlier before the guests arrived and just had to be fried up for serving.  I normally love this recipe (or not recipe actually, since I don't entirely follow one), but this time I was less than impressed with myself.  Maybe I was just full.  If no one else enjoyed them, at least Leo did; he ended up with the left over salmon skin.

 

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This was as far as the meal made it before most in attendance threw in the towel.  It must have been all those damn vegan sides that filled everyone up.

 

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Course 3

Tilapia Fish Tacos

As it turned out, Jacob and his friend Giovana came in later and requested the fish tacos, so while they weren't a part of the actual feast they sort of made it in as dessert this made me very happy, because they were really good in my humble opinion, particularly the chipotle crema sauce on top.

 

 

Course 4

Spaghetti with Tuna

Alas, this course did not make the cut, even for dessert.  I had strategically saved this one for last, because all of the ingredients could keep.  The recipe uses canned tuna, in this case locally packed from American Tuna.  It is delcious and was worth the wait until we made it many days later once fully recovered from fish overdose.  The recipe I found in Bon Apetite and could not be simpler.