Despite the fact that Santa will not arrive for another few months, it is never too early to begin planning the perfect Christmas Eve dinner for your family. Additionally, if you are tired of the usual greasy foods that are high in calories and fats, you may want to consider fish as an alternative. The following are some of the most delicious recipes we could come up with to help you make your dinner parties a success.
Oven baked fish with French fries
If you had intended to prepare this dish with your brand new fishing knife, you may have to postpone your plans until another time because it is relatively simple to prepare. Even if it is not for the holidays, it is the equivalent of soul food, and we can think of no better time to share it with the rest of your friends and family members than right now.
One of the things we like about this dish is that you can customize it with your favorite type of fish. You can use any type of fish you want, including salmon, trout, carp, tuna, swordfish, mahi-mahi, and any other species you can think of. The preparation is straightforward, and it shouldn’t take more than half an hour to complete. Simply purchase one fish fillet for each member of your family or guest that will be present.
A few drops of extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground salt and pepper, oregano, and rosemary leaves are all that’s needed to season it. Place the fish fillets in a baking pan with the rest of the ingredients and bake for 20 minutes. Wrap each of the fillets individually in aluminum foil before placing them in a preheated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. You can also add a few slices of lemon to the dish for a little extra flavor.
Allow the fish to bake for approximately 40 minutes, checking to ensure that it is evenly cooked before removing it from the oven.
In a separate bowl, peel as many potatoes as you think are appropriate for this occasion and cut them into thin slices, similar to how you would make French fries. Fry them in sunflower oil until golden brown, then remove them from the pan and place them on a separate plate. To ensure that your potatoes are as healthy as possible, use some paper towels to absorb and remove any excess oil before serving.
Put one fish fillet on each plate and a reasonable amount of fries on each plate. You can season the chips with salt, pepper, or fries spices, and you can also use garlic sauce to dress them up.
Baked shark medallions
Christmas dinner is, without a doubt, the most important event of the year, making it the ideal opportunity to showcase your exclusive ingredient selection. If you’re tired of using the same types of fish for each dish, we recommend substituting shark meat for the fish you’re currently using.
Shark meat is extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids and minerals, but it is also high in fat, similar to salmon. As a result, we recommend that you bake it rather than frying it or grilling it instead. For this straightforward dish, you’ll need four medium-sized shark medallions, salt, pepper, and oregano, among other ingredients. Combine all of the ingredients with the fish meat in a large pan and cook over medium heat until the fish is done.
Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon honey, one tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste should be combined in a separate mixing bowl. Using a pastry brush, coat each of the shark medallions with the sauce, then pour the remaining sauce into the cooking pan. Bake the fish for approximately 40 minutes, or until it reaches your desired doneness.
Warm the dish and serve it with large wedges of lemon on the side.
Greek seafood stew
Our third and final fancy Christmas dish is relatively simple to prepare and serves perfectly as a starter course. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to brag about your fishing abilities or your new saltwater fly fishing outfit because you’ll most likely be purchasing all of the ingredients from the grocery store.
Using one or two different types of white fish meat (we recommend using halibut because its white flesh is light and sweet) and some additional seafood, such as shrimp or lobster, you can create a dish that is inspired by Greek cuisine.
Extra virgin olive oil, a thinly sliced onion, two minced cloves of garlic, two bunches of thyme and parsley stems, some celery rings, a small lemon, white wine, and chicken stock are all necessary ingredients, in addition to your choice of seafood.
Putting together the dish is straightforward; simply combine all of the vegetables with the chicken stock and wine in a cast-iron pot and bring it to a boil for approximately 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the previously marinated halibut fish and shrimp (or another crustacean) until the stew has been reduced by half.