Pescatarian Christmas Dinner

[CinderellaParker]

DS and his fiance (C) are coming for Christmas. We'll also have DFiL here. Last year only C was pescatarian so he had salmon en croute and the rest of us had the usual. This year DS now also pescatarian and as DFiL eats relatively little we thought we'd just do something different. If DH and I have an urge for pigs in blankets or a goose-fat potato we can do that another day.

I'm thinking something lovely with salmon, maybe a Scandinavian sort of thing? I do have access to a smoker although I'm not wedded to the idea of using that.

Just wondered if anyone else had any suggestions please? Every thing I end up at is either salmon en croute or very summery. I just want something festive and interesting for the main course, fishy or not. Bonus points if a lot of it can be made either the day before or very low key on Christmas Day itself.

Sorry if this is way too vague but chuck in your thoughts as they're all appreciated. C's family are on the other side of the world and it's important that he feels part of our family so I want it to be a bit special.

Thanks festive gurus!

I'm contemplating doing a beef wellington this christmas for something different, and then this https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-salmon-coulibiac for the fish eaters alongside it. It says it can be made ahead too so I want all prepping done on christmas eve and then just cook fresh on the day.

I like the look of that. And FiL won't mind pastry - I mean, that's essentially a pie isn't it????

What side dishes are you thinking of doing with it?

Maybe more simple than you want but a really decent side of salmon (highly rate the Wright Bros one) wrapped in foil with butter, lemon and fresh dill and cooked in the oven or smoker is lovely. Or hot smoked - I like this recipe: https://www.traeger.com/recipes/traeger-smoked-salmon?srsltid=AU7gw4Uzp1VW11fFiSkxOacB8rgjrx7xOiSn6fZNvGQ6CMWgEuT1oLF8 and usually leave the cure on overnight on a nice big side.

For sides: a recent new and well liked recipe in our house is a whole roasted cauliflower - I brush with avocado oil and put in the smoker high (230deg) for around an hour, put a bit of foil on if starts to catch too much, and for the final 10-15mins baste with garlic butter & Parmesan 😋

If I was going fishy for Christmas I’d use it as an excuse for a deluxe shellfish platter / fruits de mer type affair for starter.

Boxing Day & New Years Day breakfast is always kedgeree for us.

I’m from the Nordics! Would recommend gravlax on rye bread. The cured salmon is super easy to prepare and you just leave it in the fridge for a couple of days and boom it’s ready. For the rye bread, I’d get some high quality stuff like Ole & Steen or order Rai Rai online. To serve, add some cream cheese and dill. Enjoy!

Roasties in good quality olive oil, tenderstem broccoli, swede and sweet potato mash, and chantenay carrots roasted with a honey dressing. And not forgetting cauliflower cheese. I love a good range of veg on Christmas day.

It might be me but I find coulibiac quite heavy - not what I want in salmon.

The Yotam Ottolenghi recipe for salmon with blackened lime is very easy and stunning looking.

I sometimes do roast salmon with a topping of stuffing made with breadcumbs, lemon zest, onions, parsley.

If it were me (and depending on FIL's taste), I'd do a lovely smoked salmon starter and then do a bouillabaisse with grilled bread and a salad. I'd love that.

I’m sure in marks or Sainsbury’s Xmas food to order I have seen a 3 fish ‘roast’

I’d have a smoked salmon starter and a luxurious fish pie with sprouts and carrots.

My first thought, Feast of the 7 Fishes!!! 😛
Adapt to suit your taste. 💁‍♀️

Do prawns count? I'd probably order a Chinese!

Last year we had a salmon Wellington thing from aldi with all the usual sides and Xmas dinner stuff. Prawn cocktail starter too.

The traditional Portuguese Christmas meal revolves around bacalhau (salt cod). We tend to do it com todos ('with everything' - it's not for the faint-hearted) but there are various alternative recipes which work. If you can find good salt cod might this be an option?

For Boxing Day, when we have extended family visit, I always do a simple salmon side. There are so many different glazes/marinades/sauces online that I'm able to make it different each time.

We did a fish based main for Xmas a couple of years ago. I asked everyone in advance which type of fish they wanted from a choice of sea bass, cod or salmon. I ordered from a fishmonger rather than supermarket so I could get them cut to a decent size. I then cooked them all the same using this recipe for the sauce... Almond-crusted fish with saffron sauce recipe | Good Food

I think we had potatoes in some form and broccoli and carrots, but I honestly cannot remember.

Shame we don't get the weather here, if DS's fiance is Australian, it would be a perfect excuse for shrimps (which I understand means giant prawns) on the barbie.

I'd look at the supermarket Christmas catalogues for inspiration. Lidl do a lovely frozen 3 fish (salmon, cod and smoked haddock) roast, which is excellent value if you're not looking to spend M&S/Waitrose/online artisan money. You'd probably need 2 for 5 of you. I'd probably have it with roast potatoes, spinach, hollandaise sauce and perhaps roast carrots (I'm not bothered about tradition or whether something is weather appropriate, I just eat what I want).

For starters I'd have a seafood platter, you can get these ready made, but you can probably do it for a lot less, and tailor to your own tastes, if you just buy the components separately. Add in a selection of nice bread such as a mix of rye and ciabatta style.

Don’t need the weather! 😁 BBQ season is all year round! (In my opinion 😂) I will def have a BBQ fired up on Christmas Day - probably two

As a fellow pescatarian I would say that just because C eats fish doesn't mean that it has to be fish-based 😁 I do find that when I'm a guest people are very keen to give me fish (usually salmon!) but actually I would prefer vegetarian, personally!

Exactly what I was about to say.

I agree too. Especially about the salmon. It's always salmon!

Just because someone eats fish that doesn't mean you have to serve them fish!

Home made salmon mousse (use a couple of dollops of clotted cream and always use fresh dill). Followed by crab and fennel with a little spice spaghetti. Then if you are doing fish monger, I'd actually go cod - as a pescatarian you get salmon all the time, and then followed by mulled winter fruits and the left over clotted cream and a damn decent cheese board - chicory boats with diced walnuts, persimmon and blue cheese 😋 ohhhh...I think you may have me rewriting my Xmas dinner 😂

I’ve done a center piece Cedar planked Salmon just simple seasoning and lemon served on the table still smouldering looked very impressive and tasted amazing.

Also done a whole salmon hot smoked on the smoker and carved on the table. Served with roasted new potatoes and a yoghurt dill dressing .

Starter I’d go full on 1980’s prawn cocktail in a wine glass maybe one large tempura prawn as a garnish.

I'm pescatarian but wouldn't especially want fish for Christmas dinner. Would be very happy with something vegetarian which went with the usual roast accompiments. Something like mushroom wellington etc

I would go for something vegetarian myself as it’s easier to make into a roast dinner. Either something mushroom based (pie/wellington?) as that can be rich or a nut roast. But that’s because I would want something Christmassy.